


The Potion Master's Daughter

by Annide



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Asexual Relationship, Battle of Hogwarts, Canonical Character Death, Death Eaters, Dumbledore's Army, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Good Slytherins, Malfoy Manor, Multi, Past Severus Snape/Augustus Rookwood, Second War with Voldemort, Slug Club, Snape has a daughter, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-05-02 03:32:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 67,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5232344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus Snape had a daughter several years ago. A year behind the famous Harry Potter, she'll navigate her years at Hogwarts, punctuated with all kinds of events, like the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, the Triwizard Tournament and Voldemort's return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Chamber of Secrets : Welcome to Hogwarts

                _It happened in a moment of weakness. The Dark Lord was looking for Lily Evans' son and Severus was worried sick all the time. This one night, he was alone with another Death Eater who always liked him and they ended up talking. There was comforting and it just happened. Never would've Severus expected his one night to get pregnant. Never he would've expected to get anything from that night, even less a wonderful little girl he would love more than anyone. And never ever he would've expected to end up a single parent so soon after._

 

                The day had finally come to start Hogwarts and Adriana couldn’t be more excited. Of course, she’d been there before. Her father being a teacher and living on school grounds, Adriana had grown up living there during the school year. She knew all the teachers and several secret passageways already and she couldn’t wait to share all she knew with the friends she’d surely make now that she’d get to take classes, live in a dorm room and finally meet kids her own age.

                Severus always came to Hogwarts early the first day and, despite repeated pleads from his daughter to take the Hogwarts Express, he brought Adriana with him like he always did. He did however let her go to the train station with Hagrid so she could take the boats with her classmates. When he saw her walk in the Great Hall, surrounded by her peers for the first time, Snape smiled so bright whispered comments spread around the older students.

                The Sorting felt even more endless than usual, Severus was so nervous to see which house his daughter would end up in. He crossed his fingers it wouldn’t be Gryffindor, he still couldn’t stand the house that took Lily from him. When McGonagall finally pronounced the “Snape, Adriana” he’d been waiting for, the room erupted in talks and the calm, composed look she’d been wearing all this time left her face to be replaced with a slightly scared nervous look. Severus threw a threatening look to the students, hoping to silence them, but it only made it worse by confirming his relation to the new girl who possessed the same black eyes and long black hair as the well-known teacher, though she let hers grow a lot longer and kept it looking clean.

                Adriana was shaking when Minerva put the Sorting Hat on her head, addressing her a comforting smile as she did so. Not wanting to disappoint her father, she crossed her fingers she wouldn’t end up in Gryffindor. She jumped excitedly when the Sorting Hat shouted “Slytherin” and turned toward her father to see the proud look on his face. Severus had hoped he’d get to congratulate her before she was led into her common room, but he had to deal with Potter and his friend, who were causing trouble again.

                In the dormitory, the other girls asked countless questions to Adriana about her father. She gave them short answers as she was tired and wanted to get to bed as soon as possible. The next morning, she went to the Great Hall for breakfast surrounded by other Slytherin kids who clearly only wanted to be her friend to be in Snape’s good graces. So far, her experience as a student hadn’t been what she imagined and she hoped people would get over her being related to their head of house soon.

                She was done eating and was looking over her timetable when a howler sounded from the other end of the room. She didn’t know what was most embarrassing, being the one the howler was yelling at or being the little sister brand new to this school who got a nice message from her mom heard by everyone right after? She decided the Weasley girl’s situation was worse since her brother had brought this on himself and left for class.

                It turned out most students had heard about Snape’s reputation or disliked him from the start, so that by the end of the week, most students outside of Slytherin would shout insults at her when they passed her in hallways or avoided her altogether from fear of retribution by her father if they participated in the bullying. Being a student at Hogwarts was nothing like she’d hoped.

                Adriana shortly became the best witch in her class, due to all the time she’d spent in the castle, hanging around with teachers as she was growing up. She already knew a lot about potions, having spent the last few years helping her father correct assignments, but she loved finally being allowed to concoct some. She was good at it too, which made her father very proud, though he never doubted his daughter’s brilliance.

                She got her first good look at Harry Potter at Nearly Headless Nick’s deathday party. She thought it strange that he would be there, she herself only attended because the Grey Lady was a good friend of hers and didn’t want to go there alone. She considered striking a conversation with the only other living people at the party, torn with the thought of what her father would say if he learned about her talking with the students he most despised, but they left before she could decide herself.

                When it was discovered later that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, the Slytherins first suspect was Adriana. She was the daughter of the head of Slytherin and had grown up in the school after all. They knew by now she’d had a lot of time in the castle without having to go to or give classes and was therefore likely to have discovered a lot of secrets about it, like the existence and situation of the Chamber. From that point on, only the Slytherin kids who disliked muggles and wished Hogwarts would stop accepting muggleborns would talk to her. She wouldn’t talk to them for long and couldn’t stand the likes of Draco Malfoy and other Death Eaters kids, so she started isolating herself. Her father had warned her several times not to express her anti-Voldemort ways around other students, in case the Dark Lord ever came back and he needed to resume his role as double agent, so she let people sit near her during meals. They talked to her about how much they disliked the ones they called “mudbloods”, she had to refrain from cringing every time the word was uttered, and she pretended to agree, occasionally looking over to her dad who knew how much she hated this and wished things hadn’t gone that way.

 

                _When Snape told Dumbledore about his daughter, the headmaster said he’d watch over her during potion classes. He never even hesitated to accept a baby into the castle. He was happy to accommodate his new teacher and, to be honest, he’d always wanted a child and this was the closest he’d ever be to actually have one. Until Harry Potter came to Hogwarts a decade later. Severus would always remember the time he arrived in Dumbledore’s office after his last class of the day and the headmaster was losing his mind trying to make three-year-old Adriana stop crying after she’d witnessed Fawkes catching into flames for the first time. She calmed down as soon as her father picked her up._

 

                “Ugh, that Malfoy boy is impossible!”

                Adriana cried as she entered the kitchen.

                “Glad you agree. Tea?”

                “Yes, thanks Fred. He and his friends all think I opened the Chamber of Secrets and now every Death Eater kid in the school hangs around me all the time, I barely managed to escape to get here.”

                “Funny, cause Gryffindors think Malfoy is the one who did it.”

                “Well, he didn’t. Can’t say I’m surprised people suspect a Slytherin though.”

                “Yeah, your house doesn’t have the greatest reputation. George and I have been looking all over the map trying to find the location of this Chamber, but it doesn’t seem to be on it.”

                “The Marauders must not have known about it. Where is George by the way?”

                “He had to go to the library. He should be here soon, it’s almost curfew.”

                Adriana had first met the twins three years ago. They’d just found the Marauders’ Map and, of course, the kitchen is the first place they decided to visit. They were taken by surprise to see a young girl about their sister’s age sitting there, crying and being comforted by the house elves. She’d just had a fight with her father and was glad to meet other kids. Living at Hogwarts without any siblings meant most people she knew were adults. Most of the time she didn’t mind, but she did feel lonely occasionally. All three of them met regularly in the kitchen. The twins had no problem sneaking out thanks to the map and she’d always lived near the Slytherin common room, not that far from the kitchen. She was half convinced her father knew she was sneaking out at night, but simply didn’t say anything.

                “What’s so funny?”

                George said as he closed the door behind him

                “Fred was just telling me about your visit to Flourish and Blotts last summer.”

                “Life is never boring around Harry Potter.”

                They kept talking for a while, until they started getting tired. George looked at the map to make sure it was safe for them all to go back to their common rooms before they got out of the kitchen. They said goodnight in the great hall and Adriana sneaked back inside the common room. She loved the time spent with the twins, but she still wished she had other friends, that she could spend more time with.

                It wasn’t long before a student was petrified by whatever monster was hidden in the Chamber of Secrets. Adriana knew she should be safe from it since she wasn’t a muggleborn, but learning one of her classmates was attacked worried her anyway. Hogwarts was supposed to be a safe place after all. She had dreamed of her first year as a student for so long and nothing went like she’d imagined. It looked like this year would be a dark one for everyone.

 

_Adriana took her first steps in the castle and from that moment she started to go off every time you looked away for a second. It quickly became evident that it wasn’t a safe place for a baby. She managed to get to stairs that were moving once and the surrounding paintings had to start singing and dancing to attract her attention and get her to walk back down to avoid her falling off of them. After that, the ghosts started taking turns helping Severus and others watching her. Two pairs of eyes are always better after all, even if some can only look and not touch._

 

                Adriana had hoped Draco would go home for Christmas break, but not only did he decide not to go, he had Crabbe and Goyle stay as well. No Slytherin student annoyed her as much as the Malfoy kid.

                “Maybe he annoys you so much cause he’s Snape’s favourite and you feel threatened.”

                “My father would never like anyone more than me. And have you met Draco? He’s always so superior, like he’s better than anyone cause he’s a pureblood and he’s rich and his father is so important, and he never shuts up about Harry Potter.”

                “Fred’s wrong, you don’t feel threatened by him, I think you have a crush on him.”

                “I do not!”

                “Did you just blush? Blimey, I think George is right!”

                “No, he isn’t. Besides, it doesn’t matter, he so obviously has a crush on Potter.”

                “The way you just said Potter- “

                “-you sounded just like Snape.”

                “Okay, if you’re gonna use my last name as an insult, I’m going to bed.”

                She wasn’t angry. She knew they were just teasing her and their dislike for her father was a thing she got used to. Her father was mean to his students and, while she knew why he’d gotten to be like this, she didn’t make any excuses for his actions. Adriana and the twins had an understanding that they talked about her father as little as possible to avoid putting her in an awkward position.

                Severus helped Lockhart to teach a new duelling club and Adriana decided to go to support him, because she knew how much he disliked the new teacher. She laid against the wall, she was only there to watch after all. Not that she thought she didn’t need it, but she had Snape to teach her all this stuff during entire summers, so she’d rather give a chance to other students to practice. When Harry Potter talked parseltongue, she exchanged a look with her father. He seemed pleased to catch the boy showing an ability possessed by Salazar Slytherin. Suspicion of who the heir was moved from Adriana to Harry in the space of minutes. She didn’t think Potter was responsible for anything that was going on, but she was glad people stopped accusing her.

                “Stop smiling, this doesn’t prove anything.” Adriana told Severus as they walked back toward the dungeons.

                “Potter and his friends are always involved. All they do is cause trouble.”

                “Harry isn’t James. Stop punishing him for what his father did to you.”

                “You heard him speak parseltongue just as well as I did, Adri, it’s not a common talent.”

                “Okay, it’s suspicious, but it doesn’t prove anything. He would have to be able to control the Chamber’s monster and you don’t seem to think he’s that good of a wizard.”

                “Unless the monster’s a snake, then he could simply talk to it and make it do whatever he wants.”

                “What kind of snake petrifies people instead of biting them?”

                “I can’t think of one right now, but it would make sense for Slytherin to put some kind of snake in his Chamber of Secrets.”

                “I guess it would, I’ll look into it during Christmas break.”

                “No, it’s too dangerous. What if the heir learns what you’re doing and attacks you?”

                “I’m not a muggleborn.”

                “But he might want to protect himself even if it means harming someone with wizard blood. You’re not a pureblood either.”

                “But we can’t just let this go on, someone has to do something.”

                “Yes, and Dumbledore, myself and the other teachers are doing everything we can. Leave it to us. Now go to bed.”

                “Fine. Goodnight, dad.”

                “Goodnight, Adri.”

 

                _During summer, Severus and his daughter stayed in the house that had been his parents’, in a town where the name Snape didn’t inspire anything good. But, for the most part, Adriana grew up in a school where teachers and students lived. She had contacts with adults and children, but never with families. She had no concept of what a family usually looked like. How was she to know other children had more than one parent? Until one day, she wandered around to the house tables in the Great Hall during the start of term feast and heard students talk about having both their parents leave them at the train earlier. She was 5 years old and only then did she start wondering whether she had a second parent out there somewhere. When she asked her father, he told her she did and left it at that. Severus thought her too young for him to tell her about Azkaban yet._


	2. Ray of Sunshine in the Darkness

                Christmas break finally arrived and Adriana was relieved to be done with exams. She could also spend more time hanging inside the Slytherin common room, since most other students stopped paying attention to her after the duelling club incident. The room became peaceful when everyone left to spend their vacation at home. She never left the castle during the school year, Hogwarts was both hers and her father’s home. One night, Adriana was sitting by a window giving out into the lake, looking at underwater life running its course, when Draco Malfoy entered the common room and came to sit across from her.

                “You know, I don’t believe Potter opened the Chamber of Secrets. Can you imagine the heir of Slytherin being sorted into any other house than ours? No, it has to be one of us. And personally, I still think it’s you.”

                “Good for you, but it’s not me. I told you that a thousand times already, Malfoy, will you get off my case already?”

                “You just seem a likely suspect to me.”

                “For reasons that could just as well point in my father’s direction?”

                “Oh right, I didn’t think of that. What if it’s a teacher?”

                “It’s not my dad.”

                “Are you sure? You’re not always with him. He’s been a teacher here for a long time, he could’ve figured it out. And he’s the head of Slytherin house, he’d be a great heir for Slytherin.”

                “Do you really think that? My dad’s a teacher and he might be mean to students sometimes- “

                “All the time.”

                “Fine. He might be mean to students a lot, but he wouldn’t really hurt them like this. Could he?”

                “Well, I’m surprised no one’s suspecting him, but you know him better than anyone else. If you believe he wouldn’t go this far, you have to trust that you’re right and I’m wrong.”

                Adriana didn’t know what to think. She truly believed he wouldn’t unleash a monster on students, but Draco was making a good point and Severus did hate muggleborns. What if he was right? What if her father opened the Chamber of Secrets? He had been pretty insistent for her not to research it after all.

                “Hey, Adriana, stop worrying about it. I didn’t mean to make you doubt your own father’s trust in you. I’m sure he’d tell you if he had anything to do with it. Though I think it’d be pretty cool of him to have discovered this secret and use it to rid us of those mudbloods.”

                “Bet you’d jump at the occasion to help him.”

                “I would. Someone has to do something about all these unworthy kids coming into our school.”

                “Letting a monster out isn’t the way I like to solve my problems though.”

                “That’s cause you’re more the thinking type than the doing type.”

                “Is that wrong?”

                “No, I just think action makes things advance faster.”

                “We’ll see if you still think that if they have to close the school to keep students safe.”

                “It still would’ve been better than doing nothing.”

                “Hm-mm”

                Adriana had no idea what more to say, so she resumed looking through the window, perfectly aware that Draco’s eyes were on her. Unusually hesitant, he leaned forward, put one of his hands behind Adriana’s neck and kissed her. Kissing him felt nothing like she would’ve imagined. It felt nice and warm, sure, but also strange, like they shouldn’t be doing this. Draco broke the kiss after only a few seconds and it was almost a relief.

                “Sorry, I feel affection for you and I thought maybe… but this just felt wrong.”

                “Like kissing a relative?”

                “Yeah. But not just that. You know, I think… I think I might be gay.”

                “Because kissing me didn’t feel right?”

                “Because I see Potter and it’s like I’m on fire. I never feel like this about girls. I thought maybe it could happen, with you, but even kissing you didn’t make me feel like that.”

                “It’s okay if you’re gay, you don’t have to feel bad about it.”

                “Would you mind keeping this to yourself? I just don’t think I’m ready for everyone to know about it.”

                “Sure, no problem.”

                “Thanks. I think I’ll go find Crabbe and Goyle now, I have something to show them. And they have to be done eating by now.”

                Draco left the common room, followed by Adriana seconds later. She saw him catching up with his friends who’d been stopped by Percy Weasley. She avoided them noticing her and made her way to the kitchen. Dinner had been over for a while and the elves were busy cleaning up everything. She really felt more like being alone, so she simply grabbed some remaining cookies and went out of the castle.

                It was peaceful out there. Snow covered everything. She could see smoke coming from Hagrid’s chimney and was tempted to visit him. She decided against it, because he would see worry on her face immediately and she didn’t feel like talking about any of this anymore. She hadn’t put on her coat and was starting to get cold. She headed to the Quidditch stadium and sat on a bench in one of the changing rooms, silently eating her cookies. She liked this place when it was silent as much as when the clamor of a game sounded all over the school grounds.

                She must’ve fallen asleep over there, because she woke up still on the bench with a few rays of sunshine illuminating the room. She ran back inside the castle and sat at the breakfast table, ignoring the questioning looks the other girls in her dormitory were throwing at her.

                When class resumed, Adriana decided she was tired of not having any friends in her year and she took action. She’d noticed several weeks before this Ravenclaw girl who other students liked to bully. When McGonagall asked everyone to pair up, Adriana went to sit by that girl before any Slytherin had time to ask her to be their partner. She noticed earrings shaped like radishes under her blonde hair that was as long as Adriana’s own black. This Ravenclaw definitely wasn’t like most kids.

                “Hi, I’m Adriana. Would you mind partnering up with me?”

                “No one ever wants to work with me. They all think I’m odd.”

                “Odd is good. It shows creativity and self-esteem. You’re not afraid to be who you are around people, I like that. So, what do you think about the assignment, want to do it together?”

                “Of course. I’m Luna Lovegood.”

                “Lovegood, like Xenophilius Lovegood, the editor of The Quibbler?”

                “Yes, that’s my dad.”

                “I read it all the time, it’s so interesting. My dad thinks Lovegood’s crazy and the magazine’s garbage, but he has a pretty closed view about a lot of stuff.”

                “That doesn’t surprise me coming from Professor Snape. But a lot of people would agree with him.”

                “I don’t.”

                Adriana couldn’t have found a better friend. She was almost glad everyone else rejected Luna, because then she got her all to herself. She was a great person, with the most open mind Adriana had ever seen. They both loved learning things, were it through reading or experimenting. Luna often said they were like two minds separated at birth who needed to find each other. She had so much imagination and was so extraordinarily unique, but she was a bit of a lunatic and often lost her thought and started on a totally different thing. Adriana was more driven and focused. She was always ready to do whatever was needed to achieve their goals and once she started hanging out with Luna, they both came to accomplish more than they would have on their own. They were a perfect balance of incredible imagination and the determination needed to get somewhere with it. They only wished they’d had been sorted in the same house so they could spend even more time together. Though this particular detail never stopped Luna from joining Adriana at breakfast and, after a while, the Slytherin started doing the same. It turned out that Ravenclaws were a lot more welcoming toward people of other houses sitting at their table, but the girls didn’t mind it one way or the other.

                If no one wanted to be friends with either of them before, their friendship only made it worse. Hanging out with the daughter of the most disliked teacher or with the weirdest kid in school didn’t exactly make you seem cooler. Neither of them cared. They’d found a friend with whom to go outside to the edge of the forest, usually not wearing the proper shoes for all the snow, to hand raw meat to animals most students couldn’t even see. All was good in their own little world.

                Then, after months without any attack, one of Ravenclaw’s prefects was found petrified next to a second year Gryffindor. It seemed things hadn’t gotten back to normal as everyone had hoped. And to make it worse, Draco Malfoy’s father managed to get Dumbledore suspended, as if that would help. Adriana also learned, somewhere in the middle of Severus ranting over what happened to Dumbledore, that Hagrid had been sent to Azkaban. Apparently, the Chamber of Secrets had been opened fifty years ago and, after a girl died, he had been blamed for the whole thing.

                Adriana and Luna started researching monsters, particularly snakes, who could possibly petrify people. Snape may have specifically forbidden his daughter to do so, but the teachers didn’t seem to be getting anywhere and, without Dumbledore, it became hard to believe they would anytime soon. Adriana was done ignoring what was happening and staying there doing nothing.

                “There it is!” exclaimed Luna one day during lunch. “It’s a basilisk. Look, it’s a giant snake that can kill with a simple look. Everyone was petrified because they probably didn’t look directly at it. There was water everywhere when Mrs. Norris was found. Colin was always taking pictures with his camera. That Hufflepuff boy must’ve seen it through Nearly-Headless Nick. Penelope and that Gryffindor girl were found with a mirror, weren’t they?”

                “Yes! And there it says spiders are scared of it, I’ve seen spiders fleeing the castle several times this year. You’re a genius, you found it!”

                “I don’t think any teachers will just take our word for it though.”

                “We should go talk to Myrtle. My father said a girl was killed last time the Chamber was opened and Myrtle’s the only ghost in the castle wearing a Hogwarts uniform. Getting killed by a monster in your school that was supposed to be safe has got to be the kind of things that makes you come back as a ghost.”

                “Let’s go.”

                They wanted to run up to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, but students hadn’t been allowed to go anywhere unescorted for weeks. It didn’t stop them from going, they simply had to be a little subtler about it. It was in that kind of moments where Adriana wished she had the Weasley twins’ Marauders Map. After several detours to avoid teachers and Filch, they finally entered the bathroom.

                “I really should use this bathroom more often, every time I come here, it’s empty.”

                “Yeah, I usually come here to avoid lines when I’m not far.”

                “My favourite friendless girl. Adri, it’s been so long.”

                “Yeah, teachers won’t less us walk around the castle freely anymore, they’re scared the Chamber’s monster might hurt us.”

                “This school isn’t as safe as they’d want us to think. Look at me, killed right here in the bathroom.”

                “That’s terrible.” Luna said with a comforting tone. “Do you remember anything about it? Did you see who did it?”

                “No. I just remember those big yellow eyes over there, by the sink that’s never worked.”

                “Eyes like a snake’s maybe?” Luna inquired as Adriana went to inspect the sink.

                “I guess, it could’ve been, why?”

                “We think the monster might be a basilisk. A giant snake that kills with only one look.”

                “Hey girls, come look at this.”

                Luna and Myrtle joined Adriana who was pointing at the side of the faucet.

                “Small snakes in the faucet’s metal. The other sinks don’t have this.”

                “Could be the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. Wow, if I’d known that fifty years ago, I would’ve cried in another bathroom.”

               “Good idea, let’s go tell my dad so they can make this stop.”

                Myrtle preferred staying there, in case she could see the heir coming. She hadn’t noticed anything before, but now that she knew all this information, she was ready to observe more carefully.

                “I wonder how you get in though. Probably some kind of password, but how would the heir have learned it, Salazar Slytherin died centuries ago.”

                Adriana asked as they were walking down toward Snape’s office.

                “Maybe it was passed down for generations until this person decided to open it? Or the monster has to be controlled by speaking parseltongue, maybe opening the Chamber is as simple as saying the word in parseltongue. It’s a rare language, not just anyone could do it.”

                “And we know Slytherin spoke it. It would be brilliant. It does make Harry Potter more likely a suspect.”

                “Wasn’t that Gryffindor girl who got petrified with Penelope his friend though?”

                “Oh, you’re right. Probably not him then.”

                They kept discussing it until they reached the dungeons where Snape wasn’t exactly inclined to listening to what they had to say. He was quite mad that his own daughter defied his authority and researched the matter after he forbid her to do so, not counting how both girls sneaked away from teachers to see Myrtle. Somehow learning they figured out that that bathroom was most likely the entrance to the Chamber where a basilisk hid didn’t reassure him at all.

                “Are you trying to get killed?”

                “But dad…”

                “No, that’s enough. Go back to your dormitory, now. I’ll escort your friend to hers.”

                “But professor Snape…”

                “Not a word. I’ll deal with this with the other teachers. You two better not do anything else risky and stupid like that. I have enough of Potter and his friends pulling stuff like this without my own daughter following their poor example.”

                Days passed. The teachers tried to get inside the Chamber of Secrets or simply seal it, but without success. Someone suggested they get Potter to speak parseltongue to open it so they could get in, but McGonagall thought it was too risky. Snape also reminded them of Potter’s tendency to get into trouble and not follow instructions. He could easily end up going inside the Chamber himself if they didn’t succeed and get himself killed. They couldn’t trust him with such an information.

                When Ginny Weasley was kidnapped and brought into the Chamber of Secrets to die, they decided they would leave the fate of the school into Gilderoy Lockhart’s hands, as he’d been bragging dealing with the monster would be easy for him and he’d figured out another way to get in. Adriana tried to convince her father to do something, that Lockhart was an idiot and couldn’t possibly solve anything, but the decision had been taken. Fortunately, Harry Potter and Ginny’s brother, Ron, managed to save the day like they’d done the year before.

                A feast took place in the Great Hall which lasted all night. Everyone was wearing their pyjamas and all the students who’d been petrified came back as they were healed by the mandrake root. Adriana and Luna went by the Gryffindor table to make sure their classmates, Colin and Ginny, were okay. The news that exams were cancelled and Lockhart wouldn’t be coming back the following year produced cheering even from the teachers’ table. Adriana exchanged a big smile with Severus. They’d made it through her first year as a student, and it looked like it could only go better from that point on.


	3. The Prisoner of Azkaban: Old Foes Meet Again

                _Adriana was 6 years old when she first showed signs of magic. To Severus, it was a milestone more important than her first step or her first word, which was Peeves because the poltergeist followed her around for days repeating his name when she started sounding close to talking. Her first act of magic actually involved immobilising Peeves as he kept stealing the pencil she was learning to write with. Her father was so proud, and relieved to enjoy a break from the poltergeist for a while. Peeves loved children more the younger they were and spent a lot of time around Adriana._

 

                “I can’t believe Sirius Black, of all people, was the first person to ever escape Azkaban.”

                Severus was sitting at the breakfast table in their house, reading the paper, while Adriana ate her toast.

                “Do you wish someone else would’ve achieved this? The person who gave birth to me maybe?”

                “No, I just didn’t want Black to do it. Do you wish- “

                “No. I don’t need another parent. I have you and it’s enough for me. I love it being just the two of us, makes us closer.”

                Adriana had no desire to meet any other Death Eater, no matter what relation they might have to her.

                “You know Dumbledore hired Remus Lupin to be your new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor? Black escapes and Dumbledore brings his werewolf boyfriend into Hogwarts. You’d think he wants Potter to get killed.”

                “Don’t say that, you know it’s not true.”

                “Maybe not, but it sure seems an unwise decision if I’ve ever seen one.”

                “Maybe Dumbledore brought him in because he knows Black well enough to figure out how he’d go about trying to get to Potter, so they can be more prepared and protect him better.”

                “You believe too much in the good of people, Adri, but I love you more for it.”

                As usual, the Snapes got to Hogwarts early in the afternoon on September 1st. Adriana immediately ran to Hagrid’s cabin to congratulate him on his new position as Care of Magical Creatures teacher. He talked to her about some of his ideas for lessons, sounding so excited to start it made Adriana wish second years could take his class. They finished their tea just in time to walk to the train station to welcome the students.

                When the Hogwarts Express arrived, Hagrid called over the first years and Adriana looked for Luna. Her friend ran to her as soon as they saw each other and they jumped in each other’s arms. Summer had been long and they’d missed each other greatly. Luna told Adriana all about the dementors who went from compartment to compartment halfway through the trip over.

                “Its presence felt terrible. I was happy and it went away to be replaced by complete despair. The dementor was only at my door for a few seconds, but I couldn’t see the point of doing anything ever during that time, it was truly awful. You’re lucky to have missed this.”

                “Yeah…”

                “What’s the matter, Adri? You’re unusually silent all of a sudden.”

                “Dementors guard Azkaban. That’s where the person who gave birth to me is.”

                “Your mom’s there? I’m sorry.”

                “Father actually. He’s a trans man. I never cared much for him, but for some reason it pains me to learn he’s kept around creatures that make you feel despair and hopelessness.”

                “Of course it does. He’s still your father.”

                Luna took Adriana’s hand to comfort her, to remind her she had a friend there for her, who understood what it was like when something terrible had happened to one of your parents. They held hands for the rest of the carriage ride and still while they walked inside the castle, until they reached the doors of the Great Hall and had to separate to go to their own tables.

                Term started the next day, with dementors planted around the perimeter of school grounds in case Sirius Black decided to try something. Adriana’s first class was Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws. She walked over there with Luna, both girls pleased for the opportunity to tell each other all about their summer. Apart from the obvious signs of weariness due without a doubt to his werewolf nature, Remus Lupin was nothing like Adriana had imagined. Far from the bully her father had described, it looked like he was going to be an amazing teacher, which was a great upgrade from Lockhart. Adriana didn’t tell Luna their teacher was a werewolf, she thought the man deserved to tell people on his own terms and she feared other students might overhear her if she did. Severus probably shouldn’t even have told her, but he was ranting about Dumbledore’s choice to once again refuse him the job and giving it to a man he despised, not missing to mention the added work he’d have making potions for him every full moon.

                Adriana and Luna decided to eat dinner at the Slytherin table that day. They couldn’t help but notice Draco Malfoy’s absence, clearly he couldn’t already be done making fun of Potter for fainting during the dementor’s visit on the train, and Harry was across the room.

                “Nott!” Adriana addressed him because she couldn’t stand Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy. Theodore was pretty nice, they’d hung out with him once or twice though he usually kept to himself, he was also the only other student who could see thestrals, as far as she and Luna knew, and he just happened to be in Malfoy’s class. “Did something happen this afternoon? Why isn’t Malfoy here?”

                “He’s in the hospital wing. He got hurt during Care of Magical Creatures.”

                “Is it bad?”

                “No, it was just his arm. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

                “Thanks!”

                After they were done eating, Luna went back to her dormitory to sleep for a while before her astronomy class later that night. Adriana visited Malfoy in the hospital wing.

                “How did this happen exactly?” She asked as she sat at the foot of his bed.

                “I was trying to get Potter’s attention- “

                “Let me guess, by insulting him in some way.”

                “Shut up. I was trying to get his attention and that stupid hippogriff attacked me.”

                “I can’t see why, you transpire respect for hippogriffs, why would one ever want to hurt you?”

                “Will you stop?”

                “Okay, fine. Does your arm hurt?”

                “Of course it hurts. But not that much, I’ll exaggerate a bit so Potter notices me. And my father said he’ll get this hippogriff killed and try to get that oaf teacher fired.”

                “Getting one of his favourite people fired, wow, now Potter will just fall into your arms full of love.”

                Draco threw his pillow at her and she laughed.

                “I’m done, I’m done.”

                “You better be or I’m pushing you off the bed.”

                “With this arm? I don’t think so.”

                “Did you come to visit just to make fun of me?”

                “No, but you’re making it too easy. I can’t resist mocking you. Seriously though, wouldn’t it be easier to just ask Potter out?”

                “And let him know I like him? No way I’m doing that until I’m sure he feels the same. I don’t want to look like an idiot.”

                “I’ll refrain from commenting on that.”

                It was crazy to think that only a year ago, Adriana couldn’t stand Draco. They felt almost like siblings now. Both of them were an only child and Malfoy was Adriana’s dad’s favourite student. They didn’t spend that much time together outside the Slytherin common room and the Great Hall, but it always felt just as natural to talk to and tease each other. Sharing the secret of Draco being gay had brought them closer. No one else knew yet. Malfoy was thinking of telling his parents during the summer, but he changed his mind after Dumbledore confronted Lucius for presumably giving the diary to Ginny and causing the Chamber of Secrets to open the previous year.

                “It’s easier for you. I only see my parents during school breaks. You see Snape everyday.”

                “We’re closer than you and your parents. I don’t know what I’ll do if he’s not okay with me being bisexual. But I need to tell him I like a girl soon. I couldn’t look him in the eye all day, he’ll know something’s up.”

                “That girl you like, do you think she likes you back?”

                “She held my hand first, but maybe that didn’t mean anything to her. Who knows?”

                “Liking someone is a lot harder than I thought it’d be.”

 

_Even as a student, Severus hated Peeves. It didn’t help that James and Sirius seemed almost able to control the poltergeist and could taunt Snape with his help. Once, they convinced Peeves to follow the Slytherin around for hours yelling insults at him. Peter Pettigrew laughed so hard, Severus thought the boy might choke, but alas he didn’t. He didn’t understand how these boys could get away with so much, how was there possibly never any teachers around whenever they bullied him? You’d think Remus Lupin could have a good influence on the others. He wasn’t like them; he didn’t enjoy being mean to other people, whoever they were. But he didn’t do anything, he let them do whatever they wanted to Severus and then kissed Black as though nothing happened._

 

                September passed without any disturbances. Adriana and Luna took the habit to hold hands, just because it felt nice to feel each other’s warmth. Quidditch try outs took place during that month, but it turned out Marcus Flint preferred big imposing guys rather than trying to find whoever was best. Adriana didn’t even get a chance to show what she could do. She didn’t mind much though; she could watch all the games with Luna. She of course didn’t tell Snape about any of that.

                On Halloween, most of the school visited Hogsmeade, leaving the castle practically empty for everyone else. Adriana didn’t take advantage of that however. She spent the day with her father, helping him concoct the Wolfsbane potion for professor Lupin. She wasn’t allowed to actually do much herself since it was a very advanced potion and she simply didn’t possess the skills for it yet. She still got to learn how it was made and what exactly made it so hard to brew. Severus loved teaching new things to his daughter and it made him proud to see she inherited his talent for potions. They also hadn’t gotten the occasion to spend that much time only the two of them since term started, something they’d both missed dearly.

                When the potion was done, Severus left to bring it to Lupin and Adriana went to find Luna. After the feast had ended, they sat in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate and listening to the house elves’ stories about weird things they found in the castle while cleaning up. George joined them later, bringing the news that Sirius Black had tried to get inside Gryffindor tower and that all the students had to sleep in the Great Hall that night. He’d come when he and Fred had noticed the girls’ absence from the incoming crowd of students, as no one would’ve thought to look for students anywhere other than their common room, the library or somewhere on the way over. George seized the opportunity to sneak snacks to what he called “a giant sleepover” and Adriana had to roll her eyes at him enjoying such a serious situation so much.

                As they got inside the Great Hall, Adriana looked around for her father, trying to lock eyes with him, but he was nowhere to be found. She wanted, no needed, to talk to him. She let Luna lead her to two free sleeping bags in the middle of the room, they were getting there last and space by the walls would have filled quickly. The candles went out before they even had time to sit.

                “Come close, I need to tell you something.”

                Adriana whispered before they slipped inside their sleeping bags and Luna pulled her close enough for the bags to touch.

                “Sirius Black was the same year at Hogwarts as my dad. They hated each other. What if he gets Potter and then decides to go after my dad?”

                “He won’t get to anyone. We’re safe in here, Adri. They’re looking all over school for him, if he’s still here, they’ll find him.”

                “I know that, but I’m still scared.”

                “Here, come in my sleeping bag. I’ll hold you till you fall asleep.”

                Adriana did as she was told and soon she could feel Luna’s warmth all wrapped up around her. It didn’t make the fear go away, but it was comforting and eventually, she did fall asleep.

                “Why does your dad think someone inside the castle could’ve helped Black get in? That’s a crazy idea.”

                They were having breakfast after everyone had woken up and Dumbledore confirmed the whole castle had been searched and they hadn’t found Black.

                “How do you even know that?”

                “I heard him and Dumbledore talk last night, while you were sleeping. So, do you know what makes him think that?”

                “Sirius Black and professor Lupin were a couple when they were at Hogwarts. As far as my dad knows, they still were right until Black was arrested and sent to Azkaban.”

                “Dumbledore wouldn’t have hired Lupin if there was any chance that he’d help Black, I’m sure of that.”

                “I know, so am I. But my dad can’t let go of a grudge and nothing will change his mind about this.”

                The following days were filled with rumours and discussions about what happened. It was all anyone seemed to talk about, except Malfoy. Draco was in a bad mood and complained to everyone how he still couldn’t play Quidditch because of that hippogriff. Then, the day Snape had been waiting for arrived. A full moon happened at a moment that prevented Lupin from teaching his classes and Severus had to fill in.

                “Dad, you can’t just teach everyone about werewolves instead of following the syllabus, someone will figure it out.”

                “That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”

                “This is wrong. You’re taking advantage of Lupin’s vulnerability.”

                “Making him come back with a pile of essays about his condition to grade is nothing compared to what his friends put me through growing up.”

                “That was over a decade ago, will you just let it go already? Holding on to the past like that isn’t healthy.”

                “You don’t know what it’s like to be tormented like this in front of everyone.”

                “Maybe I don’t, but I do know that holding grudges isn’t the way to get people to like you.”

                Adriana stormed out before he could say anything else. She loved her father, but sometimes she just couldn’t take any more of his spitefulness.

 

_Severus Snape hated his house. His father was a terrible man and he couldn’t wait to go to Hogwarts. There, in Slytherin, he found his home. He found people who understood him and felt the same way about muggles. Finally, his hate was shared. And he made a lot of friends. He even spent a little time hanging out with Lucius Malfoy during his first year. It was an honour to be in good terms with a seventh year student who could soon join the Death Eaters. Even with James Potter and his friends being mean to him, Severus was happy when he was in the castle. He never told any of his friends about Lily though, they wouldn’t have understood. Avery and Mulciber asked several times why Potter, Black, Pettigrew and Lupin hated him particularly and he simply said it must’ve been because he was the first of them they’d met, as they’d happened to be in the same Hogwarts Express compartment. Severus would always remember the time his friends helped him fight off the Gryffindor boys, it was a great victory._

 

                It was pouring rain the day of the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch match, but Adriana wanted to go watch it anyway, as encouragement for the Weasley twins. As the great friend she was, Luna simply grabbed her cloak and an umbrella big enough for the both of them and came along. Adriana made them detour by the kitchen on the way, because they needed hot chocolate in that kind of weather. It was cold in the stadium, so Luna leaned against her friend. She grabbed Adriana’s arm in hers, put her legs on top of her friend’s and let her head fall on her shoulder. It felt almost warm and cozy like this, despite the rain constantly hitting the umbrella over them. Until dementors entered the stadium during the game, making the air even colder. Adriana could feel their effect for the first time and she couldn’t help feeling sorry again for her second father who had to endure this everyday in Azkaban.

                “It’s okay, I’m here.”

                Luna whispered in her friend’s ear. Adriana turned to look at her and they stared in each other’s eyes until loud gasps were heard from all over the crowd. Harry Potter had fallen off his broomstick and Dumbledore was using a spell to slow his descent to the ground. That boy was unbelievably lacking in luck; he was always ending up in the hospital wing. Even Adriana, who’d grown up in the castle, hadn’t spent as much time in those beds as Potter had since he became a student not even three years ago.

                Adriana never thought the Weasley twins would give her the Marauder’s Map, even though she was the only other person who knew about it. She expected them to give it to Ginny. So when they told her they’d given the map to Harry Potter, she was confused. She would’ve understood if they’d given it to their little brother, knowing he’d share it with his best friend, who just happened to be Potter. Adriana told them she believed a thing such as the Marauder’s Map was too precious to be given to someone the twins had only known for a few years. To be honest, she was only upset because she was afraid not having the map anymore would mean Fred and George wouldn’t be able to sneak down to the kitchen late in the evening. And no one wants to lose friends.


	4. The Stepping Stone of Future Misery

_Severus was an observant person and he was in some way obsessed with James Potter and his friends, because they tormented him and because Potter seemed interested in Lily Evans too. This led him to notice Lupin’s disappearance every full moon. He started paying more attention, trying to see where he might be going. From one of the castle’s windows, he managed to see him enter a hidden passage under the Whomping Willow. Severus made numerous attempts to reach it and see where it led to, but the tree always pushed him away._

 

                Unusually few students stayed during Christmas break. Adriana and a fifth year boy she didn’t know had the Slytherin common room all to themselves. On Christmas day, Dumbledore decided everyone would have lunch at the same table, since there was only thirteen people expected to show. Adriana sat between her father and professor Flitwick. Professors McGonagall and Sprout sat across from them, with Filch at their side. Lupin couldn’t join them because of the full moon; Adriana had brought him his potion right before coming to the Great Hall. Aside from the other Slytherin, the only students there were two first years, who seemed intimidated sharing a table with the headmaster and four of their professors, Harry Potter and his two best friends.

                Severus opened a cracker with Dumbledore, and despite Adriana insisting he put on the hat that came out of it, he pushed it toward the headmaster who was happy to oblige. Trelawney showed up soon after that and didn’t fail to mention how they’d all been risking their lives before she sat down with them. Apparently, being thirteen at a table meant the first to leave it would also be the first to die. Severus and Adriana exchanged a look at such an insane idea.

                This was a fun meal. Everyone enjoyed themselves, eating, discussing, opening crackers. It was nice for once to have everyone as an equal. Student or teacher didn’t matter, it was Christmas and they were all celebrating as a big happy family. Or at least it’s what Adriana saw it as. Maybe other people at this table didn’t feel the same, but for her, this is what it was, Christmas with family. Later that night, when she went back to her common room after spending the rest of the day with her father, and the other Slytherin was there reading.

                “It was nice earlier seeing you and professor Snape like this. You make a great family.”

                “Thanks.”

                While Adriana enjoyed the peace and quiet at first, she got bored of it pretty fast and was extremely happy to see Luna coming back after the holidays. Soon after, Ravenclaw and Slytherin played each other in Quidditch and they watched together, each wearing the colour of their own house. In February, they were both outraged to learn the Ministry had authorized the use of the Dementor’s Kiss on Sirius Black. Neither of them believed anyone deserved such an awful fate.

                “My father won, that stupid hippogriff who hurt me back in September will be executed.”

                Draco told Adriana as he entered the common room one night.

                “It doesn’t deserve this, you insulted it, it was all your fault.”

                “Whose side are you on, Adri? Mine or that oaf Hagrid?”

                “I’m on the side of the poor animal who’ll be killed for a petty reason. And Hagrid’s nice, and should I remind you he’s also a good friend of the guy you have a crush on?”

                “He’ll get over it.”

                “No wonder you’re single.”

                “You’re single too.”

                “Yeah, but Luna and I are close. Potter hates you.”

                “There’s a fine line between hate and love, Adri, you’ll see.”

                Sometimes, Adriana wondered why she was friends with Draco. He did so many things she disagreed with, but they understood each other somehow and had a mutual respect that defied their differences. Adriana wasn’t looking to be in Malfoy’s good graces, which was a good thing for him as she would challenge him. Crabbe and Goyle always just agreed with him.

 

_One day, Severus learned from Sirius Black how to make the Whomping Willow stop moving. You had to press a knot near the base of the tree. This information allowed him to follow Lupin when he used that passage again on the next full moon. As he reached the end of the tunnel, Severus discovered the truth about the boy’s monthly disappearances, but also why it seemed so easy that Black would just give up this secret. Remus Lupin was a werewolf and he almost killed the Slytherin boy. James Potter got there just in time to save Severus._

 

                When Potter’s friend Hermione Granger punched Draco, it was all everyone in school could talk about all day. Adriana actually laughed when she saw him, he did deserve it after all. The Slytherins were all disappointed of the Quidditch loss against Gryffindor and the cup going to the lions, but they soon forgot about it as exams were getting closer. After her last final, Adriana went to see her father in his office. To her surprise, he wasn’t alone.

                “Macnair, this is my daughter, Adriana. Adri, this is Macnair, he’s an old friend.”

                From the look Severus shared with her, Adriana understood this man had been a Death Eater as well.

                “Adriana, that sounds like the kind of name her other father would like.”

                “It is. He picked her first name and we gave her my last name.”

                “Seems fair. It’s unfortunate he was sent to Azkaban, I’m sure he would’ve loved to see his daughter grow up.”

                “He’d be proud of her, she’s very talented. And he was so close to avoiding that too.”

                “The ministry’s techniques worked, we’ll give them that.”

                “So, Macnair, it’s nice to catch up, but what brings you here?”

                “Work. I have an hippogriff to execute.”

                Adriana sat mainly in silence while the two men were catching up. It was the first ex Death Eater she met and the conversation seemed strange to her, because they wouldn’t mention explicitly how they knew each other, it was just implied. You never know after all, someone could hear some way or another and get them sent to Azkaban. You couldn’t trust anyone, so saying anything that could relate to their allegiance to Voldemort, even to another ex Death Eater, was out of the question. When Macnair left, Adriana decided she’d waited long enough to come out to her father.

                “Dad?”

                “Yes, Adri?”

                “I need to tell you something.”

                “I thought you might when you said ‘dad’. I’m listening.”

                “I’m not just interested in boys. I like girls too.”

                “I know, I’m not blind. Did you really think I didn’t notice how you and Luna are around each other? Just because I’m teaching potions to idiots doesn’t mean I can’t also see you two, in the front row, not listening as much as I’d like. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

                “I was afraid you wouldn’t react well to this.”

                “How could you think that? You have two fathers, even if one of them has been kept away from you.”

                “But you two didn’t really have feelings for each other the way I do about Luna. You loved Lily Potter, not my other father.”

                “Exactly, and I know how it feels when you can’t be with the person you love and I wouldn’t impose that on you for any reason. Now if Luna hurts you, she’ll have to do with me and discover why I’m the most despised man in this school.”

                “She won’t hurt me. And even if she did, I don’t want you to do anything to her. And don’t be so proud of your reputation.”

                The day was coming to an end pretty fast and it was time to bring the Wolfsbane potion to Lupin before the moon came out. They went together so they could keep talking on the way there and back. Severus wanted to hear more about Luna, who he knew as a friend of his daughter and thought of as a smart but exasperating student. Oddly, Lupin wasn’t in his office. Adriana looked on his desk to see if he’d left them a note about where to find him, as he should’ve been expecting them. What she found instead was the Marauder’s Map. What was it doing there, spread open on a teacher’s desk?

                “This map is really useful, we can see where everyone is on there. I wonder where it comes from.”

                “I wouldn’t know, dad.”

                “It doesn’t matter, let’s find Lupin.”

                “There, near the Whomping Willow.”

                “And there in the passage to the Shrieking Shack are Potter and Granger.”

                “What would they be doing there? How would they even know about this place?”

                “It probably has to do with Black. If he’s been hiding there and using this secret passage, it would explain how he got past the dementors and inside the castle.”

                “We have to help them.”

                “No, I have to help them. Black is dangerous, I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

                “I’m going. You taught me how to fight, I can handle this. Please, you’d be outnumbered alone.”

                “Fine, but you get the kids and go, I’ll deal with Black and Lupin. Is that clear?”

                “Perfectly.”

                They both ran to the Whomping Willow and, to their surprise, found an invisibility cloak on the ground right next to it.

                “Who would leave such a precious item just laying around like this?”

                “Do you even listen when I tell you about Potter?”

                They decided to hide under the cape, for the element of surprise. It was really made for one grown person to stand under, so the extra occupied space made it so that their feet were visible when they walked. Adriana thought they would enter the room discreetly and make their move at the right moment, but her father decided to go for the dramatic almost vengeful way to do it. Severus pulled the cape off of them and, despite the werewolf’s plead that the situation wasn’t what everyone thought, he magically tied him up and let him fall to the floor before turning to Sirius Black.

                Hermione tried to convince him to hear Black out, but Severus was blinded by hate and the desire for vengeance and only yelled at her. Adriana didn’t know what to do with herself. Her father had let her come to help him, it would be slightly ungrateful of her to take Hermione’s side over him, so she just stayed there, hoping her father wouldn’t be too hard on Black without making sure he was right to do so, though not really believing it would go that way.

                When Severus threatened Black with a Dementor’s kiss, Potter confronted him and it ended with him and his two friends disarming the potion master, who was knocked out. Adriana ran to him to make sure he was okay. The others were staring at her, seemingly trying to figure out if they needed to disarm her as well.

                “I’m not like my father, I’m not gonna do anything until I hear the whole story, alright?”

                Potter nodded in agreement while Black was untying Lupin. Sirius then immediately asked to get the rat, to prove it was really an old classmate of them all adults, Peter Pettigrew. He mentioned how the rat had been in the Weasley family for as long as Peter had been dead, that he’d started getting sick since Sirius had escaped Azkaban, that he was missing a toe the same way the only piece of Pettigrew’s body they’d found was a finger. Everything was coming together perfectly. They’d all been wrong about who actually betrayed the Potters to Voldemort. And once Lupin and Black forced the rat to go back to his human form, it proved that story true. Adriana couldn’t believe it. It was such a tragedy. For over a decade, Lupin had thought his boyfriend had caused the death of their best friends. All that time, Black had been imprisoned around dementors and he was innocent.

                When Sirius mentioned hearing other people screaming in their sleep in Azkaban, Adriana couldn’t help but think of her father, who had also ended up there due to a betrayal, though in his case he really was guilty. Black told them he’d managed to stay sane all these years because he knew he was innocent, and since that wasn’t exactly a happy thought, the dementors were powerless against it.

                Peter started pleading to each of them in turn not to believe Black. Sirius and Remus apologized to each other for believing they were Voldemort’s spy. Then the werewolf pulled his boyfriend towards him and they shared a kiss, filled with all the years spent apart, and decided to kill Pettigrew together.

                Harry stopped them though and, to Adriana’s relief, decided they should bring Peter back to the castle to clear Black’s name. They all went along the tunnel, Lupin and Ron were chained to Pettigrew and a still unconscious Snape was transported through a mobilicorpus charm so they wouldn’t have to hold him. At first, Sirius was holding the wand, but Adriana soon realized he was making no effort to stop bumping her father’s head on the ceiling and grabbed it from him.

                As soon as they were back outside the Whomping Willow, they all remembered about the full moon. With everything that had happened, Lupin still hadn’t taken his potion and started turning into his werewolf form. Adriana learned Sirius was an unregistered animagus when he turned into a huge dog to make sure to keep Remus away from everyone else. Pettigrew seized the opportunity to escape and Sirius ran after him after the werewolf had gone off into the forest.

                After a little while, they heard a dog’s scream of pain. Harry and Hermione immediately left in that direction to help Sirius. Adriana was now left alone with Ron, unconscious from a spell Peter had thrown at him to escape, and Severus, still hovering. She took her wand out, cast another mobilicorpus charm on Ron and started walking back toward the castle with both of them. They were almost at the door when her father regained consciousness. He immediately ran to Harry and Sirius, unconcscious near the lake, where a great amount of dementors had just been chased away by something the Snapes hadn’t seen. Adriana had been too focused on moving both bodies to pay attention to anything else going on around her. Severus made stretchers materialise, on which to transport Black and Potter, and they all made their way to the hospital wing.

                Adriana fell asleep on one of the beds while they were waiting for Dumbledore and the minister for magic to arrive, it had been a pretty exhausting night after all. When she woke up, the headmaster was there, a few beds away, talking to Harry and Hermione. She couldn’t hear anything, but as he got up and made his way toward the door, he met eyes with her and put his finger on his mouth. She nodded to let him know she wouldn’t say anything, though it didn’t seem like there was anything for her to tell in the first place, and he left. It didn’t take long for Adriana to figure out what he meant. She turned to ask the others what was going on, but Hermione was putting her necklace around Harry’s neck too and a second later, they’d disappeared. And came in through the door right after.

                “How did you…?”

                Madam Pomfrey entered the door and Hermione shook her head ever so slightly so Adriana wouldn’t talk about it yet. Then, Fudge and Snape barged in, furious, followed by Dumbledore, calm as ever. Black had escaped. Severus ended up storming out of the room and Adriana would’ve followed him had it not been for Harry making her sign to stay.

                When they were left only the four of them kids and Ron had finally woken up, Hermione proceeded to tell the whole story of how they saved Sirius and the hippogriff by traveling back in time. It was an incredible story to hear, and Adriana felt lucky she got to know about all of this. She had to promise not to tell Severus, but it seemed the era of her and her father not having any secrets for each other had ended the moment Snape had decided not to hear Sirius Black out.

                Angry about what had happened, Severus told the slytherins Lupin was a werewolf. The news soon made it through the entire school and Lupin resigned before letters from parents started coming in. Adriana was so mad. Remus was an excellent teacher and who knows if they were going to find someone that good again or if they’d get someone more to Lockhart’s level. Severus and his daughter got into a huge fight that day, about everything that had happened the night before. Adriana kept the secret of the real events of course, but they still ended up not talking. It looked like this summer would be a very long one.

 

_Severus hated owing his life to someone he despised as much as James Potter, and he never forgot who put it in danger in the first place. The day after the incident, he was asked to Dumbledore’s office with the three Gryffindors. While they waited for the headmaster to get there, he got to witness a huge fight between Lupin and Black, or more like one person yelling at the other rather than the arguing usually defining these things. Remus was quite mad his boyfriend almost caused him to take a life. Severus smiled. Black’s plan had backfired and it felt satisfying somehow._


	5. The Goblet of Fire : The Past Doesn't Always Stay in the Past

                “Do you really need that much stuff?”

                “There is plenty of space in the tent, dad.”

                Severus and Adriana were packing for the Quidditch world cup. After a long summer of fighting regularly and sometimes barely speaking, the potion master thought going there would help his daughter forgive him for forcing Lupin to resign, and being around other people for a few days would allow them to get a little break from each other, which could only do good. Adriana was also looking forward to seeing Luna outside of school for the first time; both girls had insisted their fathers put their tents next to one another. They mainly wanted to stay close, but the perspective of Severus and Xenophilius running into each other all the time seemed too potentially funny for them to miss out on.

                The Lovegoods had already been on site for a week when the Snapes got there. Adriana was really nervous to meet Luna’s dad, but it was all for nothing. He was a lovely person, a bit strange, though what else would you expect from someone who raised Luna. While Severus was setting up their tent, with the much unwanted help of Xenophilius, the girls decided to go have a look around. Luna had noticed some interesting people during the week and wanted to show Adriana.

                Later that night, on their way to the stadium for the match, they ran into the Malfoys, who were heading toward box seats they would share with the minister for magic, among others. Severus was glad to get the occasion to talk with Lucius, who was a good friend, and also wasn’t insane like Xenophilius sometimes seemed to be. They all talked for a little while, though Draco, Adriana and Luna mostly just laughed at the faces Lucius and Severus made every time Xenophilius said something.

                The final ended when Viktor Krum caught the snitch, but at a moment that still allowed Ireland to win. It was a great match that everyone enjoyed. The Snapes and the Lovegoods stayed in their seats while other people around were leaving, there was no point in getting up just to get stuck in the crowd leaving the stadium.

                Some time in the middle of the night, they were woken by riots. Some masked people, most likely ex Death Eaters, were tormenting the campsite’s muggle owner and his family. Severus told them to go hide in the woods while he went to help the ministry to deal with this. Xenophilius led them there, making sure the girls would make it into safety, the serious look in his face seemed incredibly out of place on him. Unfortunately, with all the action going on around them and all the people running around, they got separated. Adriana and Luna were left to wander around alone in the woods, like so many other people. After a few minutes, Adriana and Luna ran into the Weasley twins and their little sister, Ginny, who was in the girls’ year at Hogwarts.

                “Fred, George, Ginny, are you okay?”

                “Yeah, are you?”

                “Yeah. This is scary.”

                “Where are your parents? Where’s Snape?”

                “Why are you asking about him particularly? Adri’s dad had nothing to do with this.”

                Luna taking Snape’s defense made Adriana blush.

                “Where’s he then?”

                “He went to help fight off these people, as I’m sure your dad and brothers did too.”

                Adriana didn’t appreciate her father always being blamed every time something bad happened, his Death Eater days were in the past and she only wished people would leave it there.

                “They did. What about your dad, Luna?” Ginny asked, to the girls’ surprise because they’d thought she’d say Loony, like every other student in their class.

                “He came with us to keep us safe, I don’t know where he disappeared to, but I’m sure he’ll find us eventually.”

                “Luna is an optimist, she’s great to have around in a crisis like this.”

                Luna seemed touched by Adriana’s words and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

                “I think it’s safe to go back to our tents now.” Fred suggested.

                “We should probably all stick together though, just to be safe.” Ginny advised.

                They all went back to the Weasley tents and hung out in one while they waited for Mr. Weasley to come back. Ginny was quite nice. They didn’t expect that from a girl who was pretty popular. You could tell she grew up with the twins, but she was her own unique and strong person. And while Luna and Adriana had been surprised to learn the Weasley girl was so great, she herself mentioned she didn’t know there were any slytherins who weren’t “snob jerks”. So they were off to a great start. When the older Weasleys came back with Harry and his friends, Adriana and Luna left to find their fathers, with a promise from Fred and George they’d bring their sister to their next kitchen hang out.

 

_The Snapes lived in a town where there were muggles, therefore they had to be quite subtle with magic. This meant no flying broomstick in the yard. However, Severus still wanted to teach his daughter how to fly, like most wizard parents. He gave Adriana her first lesson when she was five years old. They went to the Hogwarts Quidditch stadium during Easter break. She had no problem getting the broom to jump inside her hand, she did have trouble with direction though. The lesson ended after she flew into her father so hard he had trouble getting back up. Fortunately, she got much better over time._

 

                Due to the troubles Severus and Adriana had over the summer, he didn’t tell her about the Triwizard Tournament. It was therefore a surprise when Dumbledore announced it at the start of term feast. The tournament, in which a champion from each of three different wizarding schools competes, would be hosted at Hogwarts. Every student hoped a champion from their own house would be chosen, Adriana and Luna weren’t exceptions.

                After what happened at the World Cup, Adriana decided it was time to make peace with her dad. He didn’t have to know the truth about Sirius Black and she didn’t need to agree with him. They were a family and they mostly only had each other. If Death Eaters were becoming active again and Lord Voldemort was making another attempt to come back, they needed to stick together. And so, she stayed after potions the first day of class and made up with Severus. It felt good to talk again and let go of the anger she’d had inside her all summer long.

                Later that week, while Adriana was on her way to meet Luna, Fred, George and Ginny in the kitchen, Ron grabbed her arm and pulled her into the Great Hall. Harry and Hermione were waiting inside.

                “Wow, eight students out of their common rooms late at night, must be some kind of record!”

                “Eight?” The trio exclaimed.

                “Oh, so you didn’t see anyone else on your way here? Don’t you check the Marauder’s Map so you won’t get caught by Filch?”

                “How do you know about that?”

                “Harry, that’s how she and Snape found us in the Shrieking Shack last year, remember?”

                “Actually, Hermione, I’ve known for a while longer than that. Anyway, now isn’t the time. What did you want from me that you couldn’t tell me during the day?”

                “Sirius is coming back.” Harry said before his friends could inquire more about Adriana’s knowledge of the map.

                “Why?”

                “He’s worried about me.”

                “Makes sense, bad things seem to happen a lot since you got here. What I don’t get is why you’re telling me.”

                “You know the truth about him, we thought you ought to know.”

                “Oh, well, thanks for trusting me.”

                During the week preceding the arrival of the delegations from the other schools participating in the Triwizard tournament, Beauxbâtons and Durmstrang, Severus looked more and more nervous. He didn’t show it in front of students, but whenever Adriana was alone with him, she couldn’t help noticing it. On several occasions, he looked as though he wanted to tell her something, but changed his mind at the last minute. She had never seen her father like this before. What could he possibly be hiding?

                The day before Halloween, Severus told Adriana that she should be polite to their guests like everyone else and that she should try to stay calm under any circumstances. This conversation deeply puzzled her, but he wouldn’t say why it was necessary. She spent most of the day wondering what it was all about. Then, finally, the other schools arrived. The Beauxbâtons students, led by their headmistress, Madame Maxime, arrived in a flying carriage. A ship emerged from the lake to let out the Durmstrang delegates, which included Viktor Krum, the famous Quidditch player. They were led by Igor Karkaroff.

 

_Adriana had been born for a few months and her fathers couldn’t stop looking at her. She was simply the most amazing thing they’d ever created, they loved her so much. They had never planned for this to happen, but they made the best of it. Snape was back to teaching at Hogwarts, so they’d moved to an apartment in Hogsmeade right before her birth. Living together had proved difficult sometimes, but they thought it was the best thing to do for their daughter. Adriana started crawling on a rainy November night. Her fathers were so proud of her and so happy. She was crawling across the room from one to the other when the doorbell rung. Severus answered the door. It was aurors. They had gotten information that Adriana’s birth giver was a Death Eater. Someone had betrayed him and he was being sent to Azkaban. Snape took their daughter in his arms and watched as part of his family was taken away from him. Adriana stretched her arms out to her father for him to take her, until he was gone, and then she cried, as if she understood what had just happened, as if she knew it would be the last time she would see him._

 

                Anger rose inside Adriana until the feast was over. She barely listened to anything Dumbledore said, she was too young to enter the tournament anyway. As students were heading back to their dormitories, she seized to opportunity to get to Karkaroff. He was heading out with Mad-Eye Moody, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. She caught up with them in the Entrance Hall, which was still a little crowded, but she was past caring.

                “Karkaroff!”

                He looked surprised to be called out by a student like this, especially one that wasn’t even from his school, and stopped in his tracks before he turned around.

                “There are politer ways you should’ve addressed him, young lady.”

                Adriana ignored Moody, she only wanted to talk to Karkaroff and wouldn’t let anyone stop her.

                “Do you even know what you’ve done? I could’ve had two fathers, a real family. I could’ve grown up in the village instead of inside this school. My dad could’ve been happy. But you took it all away.”

                Karkaroff’s eyes only expressed confusion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who are you?”

                “I’m Adriana Snape. You betrayed my father! You gave his name to the Wizengamot and got him sent to Azkaban. Just to save yourself! How could you?”

                She was talking rather loudly and people were gathering around them, curious to know what this was all about.

                “But Snape didn’t go to Azkaban, he stayed here.”

                “YOU GAVE HIS NAME TOO?”

                Adriana took out her wand. She couldn’t believe she almost lost both her parents because of that selfish man.

                “Do you know what guards Azkaban? Have you ever been near a dementor? I have, and I couldn’t bear the thought to spend the rest of my life near those creatures. I did what I had to do. You’d do the same. I’m sure Snape would’ve done it too if he’d been in my position.”

                “He wouldn’t. And if he did, he’d do it so he could stay with me, to protect me. Did you have any child to take care of?”

                She kept walking closer and closer to him. He didn’t seem able to find the words to defend what he’d done and she was deciding on a hex to use.

                “Adriana! I thought I told you to stay calm!”

                Severus had just come from the Great Hall. The anger on his face scared most of the students and they hurried toward their common rooms. Adriana turned to face her father.

                “He has to pay for what he did.”

                “I see I should’ve prevented you of his arrival, maybe you would’ve had time to process this better. Now go to bed.”

                “But dad, you can’t just let him get away with this.”

                “Adriana, bed, now.”

                She had heard this tone before, but it had never been addressed to her. Severus only talked this way to his students, and only when he was really angry. Not only this, but there was a hint of disappointment behind it that Adriana simply couldn’t handle. With tears in her eyes, she gave a last pleading look to her father and ran up the stairs.

                She didn’t know exactly where she was going until she stopped at the bottom of the spiral staircase who led to the Ravenclaw common room. She remembered it from walking Luna there a few times. She climbed up the stairs, took the bronze knocker and knocked.

                “If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you don’t have me. What am I?”

                “A secret.”

                “Well done.”

                The door opened and Adriana walked in. She had never been inside Ravenclaw tower before. There were windows all around giving a beautiful view of the grounds. It felt almost like the opposite of the Slytherin common room, but she still liked both. There was a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw between the stairs leading up to the dormitories. Adriana walked silently as to not catch the attention of students, from both Hogwarts and Beauxbâtons, still settling in for bed. She went from room to room until she found the right one. She kneeled by Luna’s bed and squeezed her hand in hers to wake her friend up. Luna opened her eyes and looked confused to see Adriana up there in her dormitory.

                “Adri, what are you doing here? Have you been crying?”

                “No, yes, I… Can I just spend the night here with you? I don’t want to be alone.”

                “What happened?”

                “I really don’t feel like talking about it right now.”

                “Okay. Come under here then.”

                Luna looked worried as she lifted her blanket for Adriana to slip under, but she didn’t pry. She knew her friend would tell her everything once she had a good night sleep. And she did, the next morning, as they sat in the Entrance Hall stairs, eating their breakfast and watching the excitement over the Goblet of Fire and people who put their names in.

                “I was just so angry, I couldn’t keep it in.”

                “I understand, he hurt your family, but your dad was right, you have to stay calm around him.”

                “I know. Not that he set a good example on how to deal with things like these. Do you remember last year, how mean he was to Lupin? And now he’s mad cause I had one outburst. It’s so unfair.”

                They spent most of the morning listing things that were unfair. At first, they were just letting feelings out, saying things like “losing a parent is unfair”, then they transitioned to “professor Snape is unfair” for a while and by lunch seriousness had left them completely and they would say anything and laugh.

                “It’s unfair that no one else believes in the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.”

                After a long afternoon, the time finally came for the announcement of the three champions. Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour were chosen to represent Durmstrang and Beauxbâtons, respectively. Cedric Diggory, captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, was picked as the Hogwarts’ champion. But just as everyone thought it was over, Harry Potter’s name came out of the Goblet of Fire, a fourth champion. And despite their rules of no underage wizard entering the tournament and how obvious it was that someone was trying to kill Potter by putting his name in and assuring he would be chosen, Dumbledore and Crouch decided the Goblet had decided and it meant the kid had to participate. Adriana, Luna and Severus all thought it was the wrong decision, but there was nothing they could do. Not even Snape could change the headmaster’s mind.

 

_Every once in a while, when Severus had a fight with his daughter, she would disappear. Most of times she just went to the kitchen and talked with the elves, or the twins once they’d started Hogwarts, and he didn’t bother her there. But sometimes, she went elsewhere and he simply couldn’t find her for hours. Once she even disappeared for an entire week. He was worried sick, looking for her, asking other teachers and the ghosts. Until he asked Dumbledore who simply said “oh, she’s fine, Aberforth’s seen her, he thinks she’s a smart kid”. When she reappeared, Severus reminded her she wasn’t allowed outside the school grounds. Adriana swore she never even left the castle and was just hiding in some room upstairs in which a passage leading to Aberforth’s pub simply appeared the first time she got hungry. She never realized she’d gone to the village._

 

                Adriana was never allowed to visit Hogsmeade growing up, she’d only ever seen the train station and the road leading to it. She had been incredibly excited to receive McGonagall’s letter with the permission form last summer. She couldn’t wait for the first weekend they could go visit, and it was finally there. She walked from the common room to the Great Hall with Draco, as they both woke up early. Malfoy spent the whole time talking about the recent news article Rita Skeeter wrote about Potter.

                “You just know he’s only doing all this to get even more attention. That’s so Potter.”

                “Well, it certainly got your attention. Not that he needs to make any effort for that.”

                “He must know and he’s risking his life in front of everyone just to torture me.”

                “How could he possibly know?”

                “How could he not? Do you think he’s blind enough to think I’d spend hours making insulting badges for someone I hate?”

                They kept discussing the matter until Luna finally arrived and Adriana left to Hogsmeade with her. Draco stayed to wait for his friends. The girls went to see the Shrieking Shack and Adriana listened as her friend told her stories about it being haunted. She always loved hearing Luna talk about all sort of stuff, she didn’t care whether it was true or not. No one could prove wrackspurts and nargles didn’t exist after all. Though this time she knew for a fact none of the stories were true and the Shrieking Shack had gotten its name because of Remus Lupin’s scream on the full moon, she still enjoyed Luna’s eerie voice.

                They spent most of the afternoon at The Three Broomsticks drinking butterbeer and observing people. They liked each picking a person at a table and inventing their conversation from their appearance and non-verbal language. They waved at Hagrid when he came by and were joined by the Weasley twins for a little while, when they came to take a little break between their visits to Honeydukes and the joke shop.

                The first task of the Triwizard Tournament took place that Tuesday. The four champions each had to steal a golden egg from a dragon. It was an impressive thing to watch, but incredibly scary by moments. Adriana and Luna were both surprised when Harry Potter summoned his broom to use his Quidditch talents. It seemed this event would be pretty entertaining to watch and they couldn’t wait for more.

                Early in December, Adriana, Luna, Fred and George welcomed two new house elves in the kitchens. Dobby used to work for the Malfoys and the slytherin laughed thinking of the face Draco would make if she ever told him about this. He seemed to be really happy to be free and was even earning a bit of money working there, unlike any of the other elves who thought Dobby was some kind of disgrace to their species. Winky used to work for Crouch, one of the Ministry people who organised the Triwizard Tournament. She wasn’t taking well having been fired and they all tried to comfort her on several occasions, but she only seemed to get worse.

                Some time before the end of term, it was announced that the tournament included the Yule Ball, a dance which would take place on Christmas day. Third years were only allowed to go as older students’ dates, but Adriana was determined to go with Luna and surely she could find two people willing to take them.


	6. Does Happiness Ever Last?

                Christmas arrived and with it came the Yule Ball. Draco convinced Crabbe and Goyle to take Adriana and Luna as their dates, since they were planning on going with each other anyway. It meant they would have to share a table for dinner, but after that they wouldn’t have to go anywhere near each other for the rest of the evening. Draco, tired of hiding his homosexuality and pining over Harry Potter, accepted to be Theodore Nott’s date. Adriana wore a classic night blue dress which went perfectly with Luna’s eccentrically designed pink dress.

                Adriana was barely done eating when Luna took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. From what they could see, Ginny Weasley was the only other third year present. She came by with Neville Longbottom to greet them and tell them she was glad they found a way to take part of this. Neville, who they’d never met before, told them they made a cute couple. Adriana locked eyes with Luna, waiting for her reaction.

                “He’s right, Adri, we should make it official. I want to be your girlfriend. I want to kiss you under the mistletoe, even though it’s infested with nargles.”

                “If I make it magically appear, nargles won’t have time to get to it.”

                Adriana raised her wand over their heads and mistletoe appeared hovering in mid air over them. Luna put her hands at the base of the slytherin’s head and pulled her into a kiss. It felt as though their lips had always been meant to touch. And because they both had been ready for it, it lasted a while. When they detached, letting their foreheads lean against one another instead, they were both out of breath, but they were wearing the biggest smile on their faces that they’d ever had. Adriana had never felt so happy.

                Both girls spent the rest of the night dancing. Severus gave his daughter an approving look as he was following Karkaroff outside, to Adriana’s surprise. As the night advanced, less and less people were left in the Great Hall. Dumbledore and McGonagall had a friendly dance. With the help of Adriana, they even managed to get Severus on the dance floor and they danced as a group. Almost no one was left, but for those who were, these would be memories to be cherished for a long time. Neville, Ginny, Luna and Adriana were the last students to leave the ball, still laughing thinking of Snape’s face as he danced with all of them. Adriana would never forget him pulling her apart from the group to end the night with a father-daughter dance.

                Class resumed and things went back to normal. Only four students had witnessed Severus on the dance floor and he wanted this moment to stay between them. Adriana saw him throw threatening looks at each of them, just to remind them how scary he was and inspire them to keep their mouths shut. Meanwhile, everyone now knew Draco was gay and they started noticing things more. Like when he talked about Rita Skeeter’s article about Hagrid loud enough to taunt Harry Potter. Rumours started going around the Slytherin common room, because suddenly people realized he was just a little too obsessed with the boy who lived. Everyone of course made sure none of this ever went back to Draco himself.

                “He told me, you know.”

                Theodore said suddenly as Luna, Adriana and him were at the edge of the forbidden forest, feeding the thestrals meat they’d stolen from the kitchen.

                “Who told you what?”

                “The rumours are true. Draco’s in love with Potter. He told me when I asked him to the ball, said he didn’t want to go with me and lead me on.”

                “But you went together.” Luna stated the obvious, looking a bit confused.

                “Yeah, I said we could just go as friends, that it’d be fun. And it was, I just think I might have more feelings for him than I thought.”

                “I’m sorry.”

                Adriana gave him a hug, which seemed to cheer him up a bit. They all stayed silent for a while, until Theodore realized something.

                “Neither of you looked surprised or anything to learn the rumours are true about Draco and Potter.”

                “Luna had guessed, she’s good at noticing these things. And I’ve known for two years, he told me about it the day he realized he was gay.”

                “He’s been into Potter for more than two years? And he’s done nothing about it? What’s he waiting for?”

                “He hasn’t done nothing, why do you think he keeps insulting him and trying to catch his attention? That’s not how any of us would go about trying to get our crush to go out with us, but he thinks eventually Potter will realize he feels the same.”

                “That makes no sense.”

                “Well, I’ve told him that already, but you’re free to try and stop this insanity yourself.”

                “I love how we did this better.”

                Luna walked to where Adriana was leaning against a tree and kissed her. The three of them then had a snow fight and ended the day by drinking hot chocolate by the fire.

 

_Adriana was seven years old when Eileen Prince fell ill. Severus visited his mother at St Mungo’s everyday. She loved her granddaughter and enjoyed teaching her how to play gobstones. They were in the middle of a game when Eileen took her last breath. It was the first time Adriana ever saw her father cry and she cried along with him. A few days later, they were taking a walk near the forbidden forest when a thestral flew down near them and ran toward the woods. Severus then told his daughter all about these creatures._

 

                The day before the second task, Adriana was in the kitchen, hanging out with the Weasley twins, when Dobby came to see them. He looked up to something and whatever he wanted seemed important.

                “Do any of you know where I could find gillyweed?”

                “My dad has some in his office, why? What do you need this for?”

                “Harry Potter has been kind to Dobby and Dobby wants to help Harry Potter.”

                The elf left before they could ask anything else. The next morning, Severus told Adriana someone had stolen gillyweed from his office while they were on their way to the lake to watch the second task of the tournament. It was an incredibly boring thing to watch. Once the champions jumped in the water, no one could see what was going on in there. Fleur came back early, after being stopped by grindylows, but the others all returned after over an hour, during which all any of the spectators could do was wait.

                “I knew it. He loves Weasley. They’re probably going out together. After all, their dates ended up leaving them alone together at the Yule Ball. How could I have missed this?”

                Draco, Adriana and Theodore were sitting in an empty classroom to avoid the Slytherin common room which was constantly too crowded since the Durmstrang students were staying there as well.

                “I highly doubt that. Ginny told me Potter tried to ask Cho Chang to the ball, but she was already going with Cedric.”

                “You seriously think they had Diggory and Krum rescue the girl they were going out with, but Potter only got his best friend? That’s rubbish.”

                “Fleur had to rescue her sister cause she doesn’t have a boyfriend. The closest Potter has to family is his friends, so it would make sense to send Ron down there instead.”

                “Theo’s right, Draco. It doesn’t mean anything.”

                “They’re always together. And did you see how much pain was in Potter’s eyes when Weasley wouldn’t talk to him?”

                “I honestly don’t pay that much attention to my classmates’ eyes, Drac.”

                “Adri, you’re a girl, you must have noticed?”

                “When would I possibly have seen this? From across the Great Hall at breakfast?”

                “Drac, seriously, this is insane. You can’t let jealousy hurt you like that. You need to do something about your feelings for Potter, and soon.”

                As winter was slowly nearing its end, Severus was starting to look worried. One day in March, he told Adriana his dark mark was becoming clearer and Karkaroff had come to him with the same concern. It started looming on them that maybe Voldemort was getting closer to coming back. After what had happened at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry Potter’s name coming out of the Goblet of Fire and Barty Crouch, who’d played a big part in imprisoning a great number of Death Eaters, having stopped showing up, the change in appearance of the dark mark was only the latest sign that something was going on. A few days later, Harry pulled Adriana into an empty classroom between classes.

                “You have got to stop doing that! Wait, is it just you?”

                “Yes. Sirius is here. He’s hiding in the mountains near Hogsmeade.”

                “That’s risky.”

                “I know. Listen, he’s been living off rats and Hermione upset the house elves yesterday. I don’t think we can go back to the kitchen for a while, but I’ve noticed you go there often. Would you mind sending him food?”

                “Sure. I have to go now though, I’m late for potions.”

                When Adriana got to class, Luna was brewing a potion to protect mistletoe from nargles. Severus had no success getting her to stick to the assignment and was now simply ignoring her. He wasn’t particularly happy to see his daughter arriving late, leaving him to deal with Luna, and so he surprised everyone and took 10 points from Slytherin.

                Easter break came and it marked the first time of Adriana’s life where she left Hogwarts grounds during the school year. She said a few words to reassure her father and wished him a nice holiday and left for her first ride aboard the Hogwarts Express. It felt nice to go away for a while, to just take a break from all the worry and excitement going on at school. And what better way to kick off a holiday than a parent-free train ride with a lady pushing a trolley selling sweets?

                Xenophilius was waiting for them at King’s Cross. No one could ever stand out more in the muggle crowd than he did. They decided to visit the sights while they were in London. Luna had heard about some things in her Muggle Studies class and was really curious to see everything, surrounded by muggles, to get the whole experience. So they took a tourist bus and followed along on this tour. They definitely got some stares, but the Lovegoods didn’t notice or even care about those things. Adriana had so much fun with her girlfriend and her father.

                Luna’s house looked like a tower. The rooms inside were round, which was unusual, but exactly the kind of things Adriana would expect from the Lovegoods’ home. Her girlfriend’s bedroom was very cozy. It had pale blue carpet, plenty of cushions and the walls had been painted by Luna, full of images of different things, including a portrait of Adriana in the middle of the pink ceiling.

                “Wow. This is gorgeous, you are very talented. Not that I doubted it, but this is truly amazing.”

                “So you like it? You don’t think it’s weird?”

                “Not at all. I think it’s sweet. And I think weird is a good thing, remember?”

                “I do. You know what, Adri? I love you.”

                Adriana’s face illuminated at the sound of those three words they hadn’t exchange yet.

                “I love you too, Luna, you have no idea how much.”

                She pulled the blonde into a kiss, feeling incredibly lucky that she decided to get to know this girl no one else wanted to be friends with, oh how they were missing out on this incredible person.

                The following months were filled with hours of studies leading to final exams. Then, finally, came the third task. Adriana sat between Luna and Severus to watch something that seemed bound to be just as boring as the last part of the tournament. This last task consisted of a maze the champions all had to go through and the first one to get to the Triwizard Cup would be declared the winner of the tournament.

                After the champions entered the maze, there was nothing really to look at, except the apparition of red sparks and then rescue of a champion. So Luna decided to play wizard chess with Severus, putting the board on Adriana’s lap. The game lasted a while, being very close, but, in the end, Luna beat the potion master. They put the game away in their naïve hope that the task would end soon. Even though Fleur and Viktor were out, nothing more happened for a while and the entire audience seemed to have gotten bored by now.

                Luna had fallen asleep on her girlfriend’s shoulder when Severus suddenly clutched his arm. His dark mark was burning. It could only mean one thing: Lord Voldemort had returned and was summoning his followers. Adriana and her father exchanged looks of panic. This simply couldn’t be happening.

                “I have to go. He’ll expect everyone who’s still loyal to him to come.”

                “You can’t go. Not just cause it’s dangerous and I’d worry about you. It would look incredibly suspicious to everyone here if you left right now, just when he’s back.”

                “You’re right, I’ll wait. I’ll go later and explain to him I was just keeping my cover safe with Dumbledore.”

                Adriana took her father’s arm and pulled him closer to her. He would have to play both sides. He would have to go to Voldemort and pretend to still be loyal to him so he could report back to Dumbledore. The best Legilimens there was, and Severus would have to lie to him repeatedly. It would be incredibly dangerous and Adriana was afraid something would happen to him and she’d lose the only parent she had left.

                They sat there, filled with worry of things to come, waiting for Potter and Diggory to finish the task or for any sign of what went wrong in there. It couldn’t be a simple coincidence that the Dark Lord came back while they were well into the last task of this tournament. It took a little while, but they reappeared. Adriana woke up Luna, telling her it was over. These words sounded wrong in her mouth. It felt like nothing was over, it was only the beginning.

                Students started screaming. Severus ran down to join the other teachers. Adriana and Luna stepped on their seats to get a better view. What they saw terrified them. They didn’t scream, but tears filled their eyes as the realization came to them that one of their fellow Hogwarts students was dead. Cedric Diggory was dead.

                Adriana watched as Severus, Dumbledore and McGonagall realized Potter wasn’t around anymore and ran toward the castle. She wanted to follow them, but Luna stopped her. These three didn’t need any help, they could handle whatever was going on. It was better that both of them stayed to show support to Cedric’s family. Adriana buried her face in Luna’s neck, who wrapped her arms around her.

                The next day, Severus told Adriana he’d have to go to Voldemort right after the end of term and didn’t know how long he’d be gone. She also wouldn’t be going to their house for the summer, but to the still unknown place Dumbledore would find to be the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. The Order was an organization created during the first war against Voldemort, meant to fight him and his Death Eaters.

                A few days later, during the end-of-the-year feast, Dumbledore announced Voldemort had returned and was the one responsible for Cedric Diggory’s murder. Shock, sadness and fear spread across the Great Hall. This year had started full of excitement only to end in tragedy. And the next day, all the students went back home. Except Adriana who, after saying goodbye to both her girlfriend and father, was leaving with McGonagall, with whom she would stay for a while.


	7. The Order of the Phoenix: Uniting Against Dark Times

                Adriana was woken up by a tabby cat jumping on her bed.

                “Will you stop doing that?”

                The cat transformed into Minerva McGonagall, sitting just as gracefully.

                “Stop what? Waking you up before noon or jumping on your bed?”

                “Waking me up, it’s summer, it’s meant for rest. And rest means sleeping as late as I want.”

                “Well, you will be happy to learn Dumbledore has found a place for the headquarters and you will be moving there this afternoon. I doubt Sirius Black will wake you up.”

                “I’ll be living with Sirius?”

                “Yes. As the last of his family, he inherited a house and offered it to Dumbledore. He can’t go anywhere because he’s still a fugitive and You-Know-Who will know he is an animagus by now. I think you will both appreciate the company.”

                “I really enjoyed staying with you though. It was a bit lonely during the day while you were doing I don’t know what for the Order, but I love your cooking. And Hogsmeade is a great place to live.”

                “I doubt you’ll be allowed such freedom to wander around once you get to London. And I'm afraid you will have to do without your daily trips to Honeydukes, so I suggest you make some reserves. But first, eat, breakfast is ready.”

                “How do you know about that? You’re never here when I go.”

                It had only been a week since term ended, but Adriana had already fallen into a routine. They ate breakfast, then packed all of her stuff. It was crazy how fast your things could spread all around. After lunch, they went to Honeydukes and Minerva helped her pick sweets for Sirius. Adriana of course bought McGonagall’s favourites as a thank you gift for the week. The young girl could afford buying things because her second father had left her everything he owned when he was sent for a life sentence in Azkaban.

                Dumbledore showed up late in the afternoon to tell them about 12 Grimmauld Place. As the Secret Keeper, he had to inform them of the address himself so they could go. He didn’t stay long as he was very busy with Voldemort being back and all. They left right after he did. They arrived to a house that looked pretty rundown. And the inside wasn’t any better. Everything was covered in filth. They saw a house elf walk by, but it didn’t seem like he was doing anything to keep the place in order.

                They joined Sirius in the kitchen, where he was busy cleaning up. He’d just moved back in there that same morning himself. They helped him make the room nice enough that they could eat dinner in it. Minerva left when they were done eating and cleaning the dishes, leaving Adriana alone with Sirius.

                “So, nice to meet you when you’re not trying to kill one of your old friends. I heard a lot about you. Mostly bad, cause my dad is the one who mentioned you the most to me, but I’m sure he was exaggerating. He tends to do that when he holds a grudge against someone.”

                “As long as you don’t make your impression of me based on what Snape told you, I won’t hold it against you that you’re his daughter, deal?”

                “Deal.”

                “Let me just ask though, who would sleep with Snape?”

                “Can we not discuss my dad’s sex life?” Adriana rolled her eyes. “Anyway, if you really wanna know, it was another Death Eater. He was sent in Azkaban not long after you were.”

                “He? I only know of one trans Death Eater.”

                “It’s him. But no one else knows, so could you keep this to yourself?”

                “Of course. Changing the subject, we should go clean one of the bedrooms so you have a place to sleep that’s not covered in filth. I already did mine.”

                “Please tell me you won’t change into your dog form and wake me up early in the morning by jumping on the bed.”

                “I don’t intend on getting up before noon myself, unless Buckbeak decides otherwise. Quite a change from McGonagall, huh?”

                They spent the whole evening cleaning and talking. Then they fed Buckbeak and went to bed exhausted. The next day, Sirius and Adriana got up around noon and decided to finish cleaning the kitchen. Remus Lupin joined them around dinner time, bringing plenty of food with him. Black was after all still a wanted man and couldn’t get out and get some. And no one was letting the teenage daughter of the double agent walk around London alone either.

                Remus hadn’t been able to find a job ever since Severus revealed his secret to everyone, so when his boyfriend suggested he stayed with them, he didn’t hesitate. Lupin wasn’t trapped there and had some work to do for the Order of the Phoenix, but it was almost like they were a family, with only one working parent. Adriana wasn’t sure how her father would feel about this, her new family-like dynamic with men he despised, but what was she supposed to do? Not talk to perfectly nice people she lived with while he was away? No, a new war against Voldemort was coming and it was time he left all this behind.

                Other members of the Order started checking in regularly. Adriana finally met the real Mad-Eye Moody, the one who’d taught Defense Against the Dark Arts during the year had turned out to be an imposter using polyjuice potion as a disguise. She also met Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, both aurors as well. Adriana's birth giver used to work for the Ministry and she wondered if Moody or Kingsley had ever met him before he was found out as a Death Eater. Tonks was a metamorphmagus and younger than most other members of the Order. She and Adriana got along great. The Weasleys arrived a week after Remus. Molly immediately took charge of the house. She started taking care of meals and would wake everyone up early in the morning so they could spend most of the day cleaning each of the bedrooms.

                “Why did your parents have such a big house with so many rooms only for the four of you?” Adriana whispered to Sirius as they passed his mother’s portrait on their way upstairs after breakfast one morning.

                “To show how important they were, I’d say. I don’t know, let’s ask your dad, he knows more about dark wizards than I do.”

                “When Remus comes back, I’m telling him you brought up my dad again.”

                “No, you won’t, or I’ll tell him you brought up my parents.”

                “Will you two stop bickering and climb the stairs faster?”

                “Mrs. Weasley, not so loud, you’ll wake her up again!”

                They all turned to make sure the portrait was still silent behind its curtain. The days were now mostly filled with cleaning and other work to make this house good enough for them all to stay in. The dinner table was always crowded now that they were a lot more people living there and often had guests. The Order now held meetings regularly, but no one still at Hogwarts was allowed to take part in them.

                Despite being surrounded by Sirius, Molly, the Weasley twins, Ginny, Ron, now Hermione, and everyone else who came and went, Adriana sometimes felt lonely. Her dad had reappeared, but he never stayed long. He showed up for some meetings, exchanged a few words with her and was gone again. She also wasn’t allowed to tell Luna, Theodore and Draco about any of this and didn’t know what to write in her letters anymore. She’d been happy and then Voldemort came back and ruined everything.

                They were all playing cards in the kitchen one night when Arthur Weasley suddenly showed up, earlier than they expected him. He explained to them that Mondingus Fletcher had left while he was supposed to be watching Harry Potter, then the boy was attacked by dementors, had to use magic to defend himself and his cousin, and the ministry expelled him from Hogwarts. Dumbledore had gone over to the ministry to take care of the situation and it seemed he managed to get them to only suspend Harry and hold a disciplinary hearing during which they would decide his fate at Hogwarts.

                Arthur had already sent an owl to Potter to tell him to stay put, but Sirius insisted on sending another one himself, thinking the boy would listen more to him. The adults, at the exception of the Weasley twins who still weren’t allowed to know anything as they were still Hogwarts students, spent the next few days putting together a plan to go get Potter. Meanwhile, everyone else had to clean another bedroom. Harry, Ron, Fred and George couldn’t all fit in the same room, so they had to move the younger boys down a floor.

                Finally, one evening, several members of the Order assembled in the kitchen. Many had volunteered for this mission. Severus was also expected to come later in the evening to make some top secret report. Adriana missed the days where her father would tell her everything. Now she was sent to wait up in her room, like all the other kids.

                She had to share a bedroom with the other girls. She already knew Ginny pretty well. They had classes together and they also hung out in the Hogwarts kitchen occasionally. She got to know Hermione Granger more, apart from that time in the hospital wing after the whole thing with Sirius over a year ago, they’d never really spent any time together. Ginny found it funny how they had practically nothing in common other than the fact they were both top of their class at school, a fact Hermione had trouble believing. It took about twenty minutes for Hermione to leave their room to go wait with Ron, and Severus arrived a little while later so Adriana ran down to see him.

                “Adri, how are you?”

                “I’m fine. How’s it going out there?”

                “I know you’re worried, but there’s no reason to. I’m really good at this.”

                “What exactly are you doing right now?”

                “You know what I’m doing.”

                “Not anything specific.”

                “I can’t tell you anything, you’re not a member of the Order.”

                “Then let me join.”

                “No.” Severus’ answer was firm, there was no hope to change it.

                “Fine, can I go spend the rest of the summer at Luna’s then? She asked if I could and I’m tired of staying here, not being able to do anything but clean, and having to lie to my girlfriend about everything. Please.”

                “I’m sorry, it’s too dangerous.”

                “What? How could staying with the Lovegoods be dangerous? More dangerous than the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix?”

                “This place here is protected. No one can find it. Dumbledore himself insured that.”

                “And why would anyone even try to find the Lovegoods’ house?”

                “To get to you.”

                “What? Why?”

                “Because of what I do.”

                “You just said there was nothing to worry about.”

                “There isn’t. It’s just a precaution. In case something happens and they discover I’m betraying them. They could try to hurt me through you.”

                “How would they even know about me?”

                “Some Death Eater kid could easily have mentioned it at home, or…”

                “Or what? You think father could tell them everything? He’s in Azkaban and he’s not coming out anytime soon. Is he?”

                “Adri, listen, I’m only trying to protect you. Nothing will happen, I’m being careful.”

                “You avoided the question. You are lying to me. You never use to do that before.”

                “Adri, please, you have to understand, this is a war and you are a child. I can’t tell you everything anymore.”

                Adriana knew this and she understood, but the fact was that it still hurt to be lied to like this by her father for the first time. And he avoided that question about her birth giver. He knew something important, that she needed to know, and he wasn’t telling her. She thought he learned it was a bad idea to let her be surprised by things last year, when Karkaroff arrived at Hogwarts without any warning. Tears filled her eyes. Other members of the Order were calling Severus in to get ready for the meeting. Molly was urging Adriana to go upstairs, Harry would be here any minute now.

                She went back to the room she shared with the other girls. Ginny asked what was wrong, but Adriana couldn’t say anything, she didn’t really have anything to tell. The Weasley girl just sat next to her on the bed, her arm around her shoulders to show support. Adriana didn’t know what to say, what she could or should share, she didn’t even know what to think. She wished Luna were there.

                It hadn’t been long when they heard yelling from the floor below them. Harry Potter was there, and he was angry. If he had arrived, it meant the members of the Order who’d gone to get him were back and the meeting could start. Ginny grabbed a few dungbombs and Adriana’s hand, and hurried down.

                “What are you doing?” Adriana asked as Ginny threw a dungbomb on the kitchen door.

                “Checking to see if mom put an imperturbable charm on the door.”

                “Oh right, to see if we can eavesdrop this one.”

                “Yes, it’s an important one. I think your dad has important stuff to report.”

                “I bet he does, but he’s not telling me anything anymore.”

                “No? But I thought you two were close, no secrets and all.”

                “Not since Voldemort came back.”

                “I can’t believe you use You-Know-Who’s name.”

                “It’s less creepy than calling him the Dark Lord, like my dad does.”

                “I guess so. Well, my mom didn't forget about my brothers’ extendable ears. Let’s go tell the others, I think the yelling stopped.”

                The two girls joined Hermione and the twins in Ron and Harry’s room.

                “Don’t even ask, my dad isn’t telling me anything. I know as much as your friends.”

                Harry looked disappointed and really who wouldn’t be when you knew nothing about a situation that had a lot to do with you. Mrs. Weasley called them down to dinner not much later, to Adriana’s relief because she didn’t feel so comfortable surrounded by all those kids who were always doubting her father’s loyalty to Dumbledore. This is why she’d lied saying she didn’t know anything. She was the only one of them knowing Severus was on mission pretending to be a Death Eater, but she had no details about it and wasn’t about to reveal something that would make them worry even more about whether he might be back on Voldemort’s side.

                After dinner, Sirius decided to answer some of Harry’s questions. Ron, Hermione and the twins were allowed to stay due to their being all older than Harry. Mrs. Weasley insisted to send Adriana and Ginny to bed. They both protested. Adriana repeated she knew a lot of things they didn’t, that she could take in the information just as well as the older kids and that Molly wasn’t her mother and therefore shouldn’t be the one to decide for her. Severus would allow her to stay. But despite all of this, she was still pushed out the door and sent to her room with Ginny.

                The next day, everyone had to help clean the living room. Adriana overheard Sirius talk about the family tree tapestry to Harry, explaining how most pureblood families are interrelated somehow. Adriana had plenty of time in the last month to observe it and had learned from Tonks that she had never met her cousin, Draco Malfoy. It was crazy to think that family members would not have any contact with each other simply because some of them believed muggles were okay.

                The rest of the holidays were filled with more cleaning, though Adriana often sneaked away to see Buckbeak, because she felt somehow out of place among these people. Especially after Harry’s hearing cleared him and Ron and Hermione received their prefect badges. Everyone was so happy and she couldn’t stand being around them with all that worry for her father looming over her. Sirius was up there quite often too; he didn’t feel particularly comfortable being back in the house where he’d been so miserable growing up.

                A party was thrown to celebrate the new Hogwarts prefects and Adriana spent most of it talking with Sirius, Lupin and Harry. Sirius always lit up when his boyfriend was there. The animagus sat on the werewolf as soon as he mentioned leaving, to force him to stay the night. His work for the Order could wait until morning. Later, Mrs. Weasley tried to take care of a boggart, but started crying at the sight of all her family members’ dead bodies. Adriana, Sirius and Lupin comforted her, though the girl and the animagus were having a little more success empathising with the situation.

                “I’m really scared too, Mrs. Weasley. You know how dangerous my dad’s mission is, I’m sure my boggart would’ve been similar to yours.”

                “All three of us stay here all day while our loved ones go out in this dangerous world, we need to support each other.”

                “Oh, Sirius, you’re right, let’s not forget that.”

                Molly felt a little better after that. Lupin put his arm around Sirius’ shoulders and dragged him upstairs, suddenly realizing how hard it was being the one to stay behind. Adriana heard him promise he’d spend more time in Grimmauld Place.

                On September 1st, some members of the Order, including Sirius in his dog form, accompanied them to platform 9 ¾. Fred and George left to join their friend, Lee Jordan, and Ron and Hermione had to go to the prefects’ wagon, leaving the others and Neville, who they'd ran into, to find a compartment. Fortunately, no one wanted to share one with Luna and they could all sit with her. She was too concentrated on the newest issue of The Quibbler to notice them coming in, but Adriana grabbed her attention with a long kiss before sitting across from her. She was so happy to finally be reunited with her girlfriend, she’d missed her so much during the summer.

                When Hermione and Ron came back, bringing the news that Draco had been made a prefect, the compartment was too crowded to fit everyone, but Adriana simply used this as an excuse to pull Luna onto her lap. Later, Crabbe, Goyle and Draco himself showed up, clearly unable to wait any longer to see Harry. Adriana congratulated him on making prefect and he taunted Harry about being passed over by Ron for this. Adriana had to hide her face in Luna's back due to second-hand embarrassment from this shameless obvious pining and Harry’s clueless reaction. Hermione ordered them to leave after Draco hinted that he recognized Sirius earlier, clearly Lucius had shared information with his son. Adriana deposited Luna on the seat and ran after him, grabbing his arm to stop him.

                “What are you doing?”

                “Going back to my compartment.”

                “No, I mean, mentioning Sirius to Harry.”

                “You call him Harry now?”

                Adriana realized he couldn’t learn about her spending half the summer with his crush and should keep appearances that she barely knew him. Apparently, it wasn’t only her father who had to play both sides.

                “No, must just be because I heard the name a lot during this train ride.”

                “How come you’re sharing a compartment with him and his friends anyway?”

                “They couldn’t find an empty one and there was space left in ours.”

                “I was disappointed you didn’t come to dinner at the manor with Snape the other day.”

                “He had me stay at McGonagall’s all summer, because he’s so busy with some mission for the Dark Lord.”

                “Oh yes, my father mentioned he’s been helpful. I don’t know any details though.”

                “Me neither. Anyway, Sirius Black is Potter’s godfather, so if you want him to ever like you, find something else to tease him about.”

                When they all got off the train at Hogwarts, Harry saw the thestrals pulling the carriages. He seemed even more confused about them when his friends said they didn’t see anything. Luna tried to reassure him by telling him both her and Adriana had been able to see them for years, but she didn’t make a good first impression and Harry looked as though he was unsure he could trust her. Adriana didn’t say anything, because she was busy petting the nearest thestral. She loved those creatures.

                Adriana gave a quick kiss to Luna as they arrived to the Great Hall’s doors and left the group to join the Slytherin table. Theodore had kept her a seat next to him among the other Death Eater kids. Apparently, Draco thought they should all sit together as friends. Adriana and Theodore weren’t exactly pleased with this new arrangement, they preferred keeping more of a low profile. Most of these students didn’t seem inclined to follow the Sorting Hat’s advice to stay united and be friends with other houses.

                After the feast was over, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Dolores Umbridge, interrupted Dumbledore while he was explaining start of the year things. She started off addressing students as little kids and then went into the most boring speech Adriana had ever heard. This led her to lose practically everyone’s attention. Even Theodore, who usually paid more attention to these things than any of the other Slytherins, joined the conversation Draco was having with his friends. Afterwards, when all the students were leaving toward their common rooms, Adriana stayed behind to talk with Severus.

                “I heard you had dinner at Malfoy Manor last week, why didn’t you bring me along?”

                “I don’t want to involve you in this business.”

                “But I am involved, want it or not. I have to lie to everyone about my entire summer.”

                “I’m sorry about that, but you know how important what I’m doing is.”

                “Yes, but I missed you this summer and this was something I could’ve been a part of, with you.”

                “I’ll bring you along next time, I promise.”

                “All I ask for. And nice to be back here with you around.”

                “Yes. I missed you too, Adri, I wish things hadn’t turned out this way.”

                The next morning, Luna had breakfast at the Slytherin table. She told Adriana and Theodore not all of the Ravenclaws believed Voldemort was actually back, and it seemed an idea that was spread across the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor houses as well. The Daily Prophet had done a great job of discrediting Dumbledore and Harry Potter’s story during the summer. Some Slytherins also thought it was a lie, but there were less of them, due to the presence of several sons and daughters of Death Eaters among their house.

                Adriana’s first class that year was Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Gryffindors. Ginny said hi as she walked by her to get to seats more to the middle of the room, Colin Creevey waved at her from the front and Harper, some annoying Slytherin boy who was always trying to become friends with her and older Death Eater kids, sat next to her in the back. Umbridge explained they would only learn theory in her class because there was no need for practice. Adriana wanted to say how idiotic that was, especially with Voldemort being back, but she thought she shouldn’t mention it and let people believe otherwise, like Malfoy and the others were doing. She was woken up by Umbridge at the end of this double class, having fell asleep on the book they had to read, and left with a detention to look forward to.

                “Did you somehow manage to get a detention the first day of class?”

                Severus came over to the Slytherin table during dinner.

                “First class, actually.”

                “What did you do?”

                “Well, Umbridge made us read a boring book instead of teaching and I fell asleep. How did you even find out about this?”

                “She eats at the teacher’s table too. She was just telling everyone how students in this school have no respect for authority and that she had to give detentions to two of you on her first day. Then she asked me if there was any relation between me and an Adriana Snape. When I answered you were my daughter, she told me I did a bad job raising you. I don’t appreciate this kind of accusation. I’d like it if you could behave from now on.”

                “But dad, she isn’t teaching us anything. We’re just reading this stupid book.”

                “I’m only asking you to stay awake in her class, don’t read the book if you don’t want to, but at least pretend, she reports back to the Minister for Magic.”

                “Fine, I’ll try.”

                “Now go before you’re late to your detention and she blames me again.”

                Adriana left for her detention where Umbridge wanted to make her write lines. It didn’t seem so bad until “ _I must not disrespect my professor_ ” carved itself into the back of her hand as she was writing it down with what looked a lot like her own blood. It hurt a lot, but she pretended like nothing wrong was going on, because clearly nothing good could come of doing otherwise. Adriana spent a lot of time with kids who approved of Voldemort and yet, at this precise moment, she couldn’t think of anyone more despicable than this woman dressed in pink. At the end of the night, the words had disappeared from her hand, but it was red and incredibly sore.

                On Saturday morning, Adriana ate breakfast with Luna and Theodore at the Slytherin table. Draco joined them, unusually nervous and alone.

                “What’s up, Drac?”

                Draco looked around before answering Theodore’s question.

                “I’ve decided to go watch the Gryffindor Quidditch team training. That’s a nice thing to do, isn’t it?”

                “I guess.”

                “I guess? That’s all you have to say? I’m making an effort here.”

                “Fine, it’s great, good going.”

                “Thank you, Adri.”

                Unfortunately, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy showed up, making the plan change from watching the training session to bringing their house’s entire team to throw insults at their rivals. Adriana and Theodore were discouraged. Luna simply laughed, she didn’t believe there was any chance of anything happening between Draco and Harry.

                That Monday, they all learned Umbridge was appointed High Inquisitor at Hogwarts and could now add rules to the school and inspect teachers. Adriana decided to have lunch with her father that day to talk about this. Severus wasn’t happy at all with this new turn of events. The Ministry was really starting to annoy him with all this Dumbledore hate and meddling into Hogwarts affairs.

                The time for the first weekend visit to Hogsmeade finally came and Adriana was eager to spend a day with her friends away from Umbridge. They were almost at the village when Luna suddenly told Adriana and Theodore about a meeting Ginny had mentioned to her during Herbology class. Apparently, Hermione thought Harry could teach them defensive magic, since Umbridge wasn’t doing her job in that area.

                “You think these people would be welcoming of Slytherins showing up there?”

                “And most students think my dad might be in with the Death Eaters. They definitely don’t want me there.”

                “You need to learn how to defend yourself just as much as the others.”

                “My dad taught me some things, we can practise them together.”

                “But Harry faced Voldemort, he knows what it’s like, Severus never did.”

                “Look Luna, we can’t go. Theo’s right, Slytherins aren’t welcomed among other houses. Ginny knows we’re together, did she tell you to invite me to come along?”

                “No, but I’m sure she simply didn’t think about it. It happens.”

                “And what about Fred and George? We hang out in the kitchen all the time. Last night, in fact. They didn’t say anything. I’m sorry, I know it’s hard for you to believe, but my dad’s reputation doesn’t make people incline to trust me with these kinds of things.”

                “Fine, I’ll go to the meeting alone.”

                “But I was looking forward to spending the day with you.”

                “Then come with me. Otherwise, you can spend it with Theo.”

                Adriana watched Luna walk away until Theodore put his arm around her shoulders and led her toward The Three Broomsticks.

                “Here, butterbeer’s on me today.”

                They ended up only drinking one cup of butterbeer and going back to the castle to play wizard chess in the Great Hall. Luna joined them later, pretty happy about how that meeting went. A few days later, Adriana was hanging out with Fred and George in the kitchen during recess when they told her about Dumbledore's Army, the group that would be taught defensive magic by Harry. Apparently, the new decree from Umbridge forbidding gatherings of three students or more without her authorisation didn't discourage them for doing this. Adriana was glad, she thought the D.A. was a great idea.

                "We have our first official session tonight." George said.

                "Why would I care about that?"

                "Luna told us why you didn't come to the Hog's Head. And we're sorry we forgot to tell you about this, but we do think you should come."

                "I'm sure the others would welcome you."

                "We will make sure they do."

                "I don't think so."

                "You can bring Theodore. There's no reason Slytherins shouldn't be a part of this also, as long as you keep the secret too."

                "Maybe you'll feel more comfortable if you're not the only kid from your house."

                "Fine, I'll think about it."

                Then the bell rang and they all had to go to class. Adriana had potions with the Ravenclaws where she told Luna about her conversation with the twins. By lunchtime, Luna still couldn't find any argument that would convince her girlfriend to go with her that night. Both their potions were great though. They ate at the Ravenclaw table that day, because Draco was still talking about how long it took for the Gryffindor Quidditch team to be reconstituted.

                That night, Luna came into the library, took Adriana's hand and simply dragged her out without a word. Theodore followed them, curious to know what this was about. Only he was surprised to discover the first D.A. meeting waiting for them. Most people did seem uncomfortable seeing Slytherins there, several of them were nervous they would denounce them. But Hermione insisted everyone should be allowed to be there. She reminded them all about Dumbledore and the Sorting Hat advising that all houses unite. When both Adriana and Theodore had signed the sheet promising to keep this a secret like everyone else, they could finally move on to something else.

                They started with something simple, the Disarming Charm. Adriana teamed up with Theodore, because no one other than Luna wanted to be with them. There was a lot of distrust toward Slytherins in the room. Adriana had already practiced this with her father so she was pretty good at it. Theodore got better with her and Harry's help, as did Luna. Adriana couldn't wait to do something a little more advanced, but she knew they needed to start with the basics. Before they left, she kissed her girlfriend and thanked her for having forced her there.

                Hermione gave each of Dumbledore's Army members a fake coin bewitched with a Protean Charm so they would all look the same. This way Harry could simply change the time and date on his and they would all know when the next session would be. She did this because with players of three different Quidditch teams in the group, meeting at regular times was impossible. And telling everyone directly was complicated and risked drawing too much attention to them. You rarely had groups of friends that included people from all four houses and it was safer to keep it on the down low that two Slytherins had become friendly with so many other students outside of their own house.


	8. Hard Times For All

                Everyone in the D.A. was improving their defense skills and they'd moved on to different stuff. People got along great and had finally accepted Adriana and Theodore among them. Meetings all went well, except the first one after the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match. This one included the first actual fight among the group. The Gryffindor team had lost its Seeker and Beaters after Harry and George had tried to beat up Draco and his friends for mocking Ron, among other things. And of course Umbridge gave no punishment to the Slytherins.

                "Your house is always favoured. Snape does it. Now, Umbridge too!" Angelina snapped at the two D.A. Slytherins.

                "It's not our fault she prefers our house," Theodore replied. "Just like you can't change the fact yours is Dumbledore's favourite."

                "That doesn't give us anything though."

                "Oh so your house didn't conveniently receive just exactly the right amount of points to win the house cup four years ago after Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped Quirrel from stealing the philosopher's stone?"

                "They deserved those points!"

                "I'm not saying they didn't, I'm just saying the amount of it was pretty damn convenient. And let's not even talk about how many rules these three broke without getting appropriate consequences."

                "They broke rules risking their lives to save the school."

                "Not when they flew a car to Hogwarts in front of muggles."

                "That's enough!" Harry yelled. "Umbridge banned us from Quidditch, and everyone here agrees she's terrible, or they wouldn't be here. If you want to blame any Slytherins for this, at least go after the ones actually involved, Draco and his gang. Now, can we start this? I thought we'd practise Stunning Spells today."

                Hagrid was back and the Ravenclaws and Slytherins were all disappointed to lose Grubby-Plank. None of them thought of the half-giant as a good teacher, though much better than Umbridge. Adriana and Luna were having dinner at the Ravenclaw table that Tuesday when Theodore told them about his first Care of Magical Creatures. The girls had one the previous day, but Hagrid had simply finished what Grubby-Plank had been teaching them. The fifth years had been ready to pass to something new already and he had to come up with something for them.

                "It was an interesting class actually." Theodore assured. "He thought us about thestrals. I would've preferred if he hadn't brought an entire cow carcass to put on the ground for them, but still a nice class."

                "I wish he'd teach us about them." Adriana said. "So, how many people in your class could see them?"

                "Well, obviously, Hagrid could. And we already knew about Potter. There was this Neville Longbottom kid from Gryffindor who sometimes teams up with us during D.A. meetings as well. He told Umbridge he saw his granddad die. I was the only Slytherin who could see them."

                "Umbridge was there? Could she see them?" Luna asked.

                "No idea. She didn't show signs one way or another. She mostly mocked Hagrid because he's an hybrid. I don't like him, but it was unfair of her to do that."

                "Hagrid's really nice, he's just not a great teacher. You'd both like him if you knew him better." Adriana insisted.

                During the last D.A. session before Christmas, they went over what they'd done so far and Harry announced they might do Patronuses soon. Adriana, Luna and Theodore, like everyone else, were very excited to learn this. This also meant that break was coming soon and everyone was making plans. Luna was going home to spend the holidays with her father. She had invited her girlfriend over, but Severus had said no again. Adriana was hoping she'd get to stay at Hogwarts and keep company to Theodore, whose father was apparently too busy with Death Eater stuff to spend Christmas with his son. But at the same time, she also wanted to go back to Grimmauld Place where Sirius was probably getting quite lonely without the Weasleys living there like they did in the summer.

                Severus sent Adriana to the Order headquarters through the Knight Bus when term ended. Hermione joined her. Arthur Weasley had been attacked by a snake and saved because Harry had a dream that allowed him to be found in time. Hermione had decided to spend Christmas with Harry and the Weasleys upon learning that. It was a long ride. The Knight Bus wasn't the most pleasant way to travel and Hermione kept asking Adriana questions about study tricks. Her OWLs were getting closer and Adriana didn't seem to spend as much time in the library as she did when she was in her fourth year. Hermione wanted to know if maybe she had techniques that could help her.

                "I really wish Ginny hadn't told you I'm first in our class."

                "But she did. Please, tell me how you do it without being in the library every night."

                "I'm not always in the library because I find it helps to change surroundings. I also like to associate different study spaces with different subjects. I'll do Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology outside, History of Magic in the library, Study of Ancient Runes in the common room. Study techniques are different for everyone, Hermione. What works for me might not work for you. And what works for you might not work for others."

                "I know that."

                "Then why do you ask? You clearly spend a lot of time studying the theory up there in the library, but I focus more on practice. If I do the thing a lot and master it, then I'll have no problem explaining it. No need to study the theory."

                "But learning the theory is important too."

                "Surely it is for you, but see, it's not how I learn."

                When they finally arrived at Grimmauld Place around dinner time, Adriana said hello to everyone fast and ran upstairs to Buckbeak's room while Hermione joined the Weasley kids in Harry's room. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had the idea to go there to hide from everyone else.

                "Oh, Harry, sorry, I didn't know you were there. Guess you don't feel much like seeing other people after what happened."

                "What did they tell you?"

                "Who? The Weasleys? They didn't have time to tell me anything much. Except that Mrs Weasley made a fire and brought sandwiches in your room. My dad told me everything this morning."

                "Everything, really? I thought he wasn't telling you anything anymore."

                "Yeah, I guess he feels bad about that and he thought he could tell me this."

                "And what exactly is everything?"

                "He told me you had some kind of dream, like a vision, during which you could see through Nagini's eyes while she attacked Mr Weasley. He didn't tell me where the attack happened or how exactly yours and Voldemort's minds are connected though."

                "Nagini?"

                "Voldemort's snake, it's her name."

                "You know how Voldemort called his pet?"

                "Yes."

                "How?"

                "You know I hang out with kids whose parents are Death Eaters, right? Theodore told me his dad saw you in the cemetery in June."

                Of course, she learned about Nagini through her own father, but she couldn't admit that to Harry.

                "Don't tell anyone I told you this yet, but my dad is gonna give you private lessons next semester."

                "What? Why?"

                "Because you need them."

                "But he never gives private lessons to anyone, no matter how bad they are at potions."

             "These won't be potion lessons. And Dumbledore asked him to do this. After what happened, it's important you learn how to close your mind to Voldemort. You saw something that helped, but Dumbledore is afraid Voldemort could notice and want to use this connection for his own purposes."

                "And your dad can teach me how to do this?"

                "Yes, it's a technique called Occlumency, he's very good at it. I'm also pretty good, but no way near his level."

                "I still don't like the idea of private lessons with Snape."

                "Obviously. He's probably not as good a teacher with you than he is with me. He really hates you. Though I think he mostly hates your dad through you, but still, he's not very nice to students outside of Slytherin."

                "He made my potions disappear a few times cause I'd made a mistake and gave me 0 instead of some points for every good thing I'd done."

                "He made mine disappear several times too at first, except he made me start over until I got it. I had a gift for it so it was never that bad, but I barely make any mistakes now. And last full moon, dad let me brew Remus' wolfsbane potion. It's a very advanced potion, I'm very proud."

                "There are advantages to being the potion master's daughter."

                "Yes, but if you ever need help in potions, you can always ask me. Or Luna, she's very good, she just tends to do other potions than what dad asks. It drives him crazy."

                "Good to hear. I wish I could witness this, Luna in potions, sounds hilarious."

                "It often is. We should probably go join the others downstairs now. They'll be wondering where you are."

                "I really don't feel like seeing anyone right now."

                "I know, me neither, let's go."

                Harry followed Adriana to the bedroom he shared with Ron, though he seemed to do so reluctantly. Hermione, Ron and Ginny were all sitting on Ron's bed. Hermione got up to meet Harry, clearly really happy to see him.

                "Adriana, you found him!"

                "Hm, yeah, I guess."

                Hermione explained how they both got there and told everyone how angry Umbridge had been that Harry and the Weasleys had left before the semester officially ended. She then went back to where she'd been sitting while Adriana sat on the empty bed. Followed a discussion about how Harry had been hiding from the Weasleys ever since they visited Mr Weasley at St Mungo's the previous day. It was obvious Harry wanted to isolate himself from them all and would rather be the misunderstood kid than talk to his friends about what he was going through. Adriana didn't think it was very smart or nice of him, but she had been talking more to Theodore and less to Luna about things ever since Voldemort came back. She also felt like nobody else could ever understand how she felt. Theodore understood part of it of course, because his father was also a Death Eater, but she couldn't say anything about Severus playing both sides and how it affected her. Harry had a special link with Voldemort and no one else could understand what it felt like, not completely, so he must've been feeling alone in this, just like she did. She still thought he could at least try to talk to the others about this, since it wasn't top secret information, like what she had to deal with. Maybe she should've told him that. But it seemed Ginny was doing a great job confronting him, now that they were in the same room again.

                Ginny reminded Harry she had been possessed by Voldemort during her first year at Hogwarts, when his diary had made her open the Chamber of Secrets, and reassured him it couldn't be what was happening to him, because it was nothing like what she'd gone through. Hermione also told him that if he'd read _Hogwarts: A history_ , he'd known there was no way Voldemort could have transported him outside the castle, since apparating is impossible on school grounds. Adriana couldn't believe someone other than herself had actually read that book. She had read it in the years before becoming a student, while Severus was giving classes and she was waiting for him.

                Sirius was incredibly happy to see the house full again and not have to spend the holidays alone. His cheerfulness was contagious and everyone helped decorate the house. On Christmas day, they all celebrated during a special lunch together. Though Adriana kept hoping her father would show up. In the afternoon, the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione visited Mr Weasley in St Mungo's. She went along with them, for support, but also cause it was nice to get out every once in a while. She felt bad for Sirius who couldn't come, or even leave Grimmauld Place at all.

                Mr Weasley mentioned how one of his Healer tried some Muggle remedy which, of course, made Mrs Weasley mad. At this moment, Remus decided to talk with the man in the next bed, who had been bitten by a werewolf and Bill, Fred and George went for tea. Adriana almost accompanied them, but she was too busy trying to understand why Mrs Weasley was making such a big deal of something that did sound risky, but not such a bad idea in her opinion. If Mr Weasley's wound wouldn't stay closed, why not try sewing it together? Muggles had to be smart to be able to live without magic, so their ideas couldn't be that terrible. When Harry suggested tea though, she followed him, Ron, Hermione and Ginny out of the room.

                They never made it to the tea room. They were one floor away from it when they ran into Gilderoy Lockhart, their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor from three years earlier. When his Healer joined them and talked about how great it was that they were visiting him, who never had visitors, they let themselves be dragged to his room. While Lockhart was led to a chair next to his bed, Ginny explained to Adriana that he tried to rid Harry and Ron of their memories while they were on their way to rescue her in the Chamber of Secrets, but lost his own memory in the process because he used Ron's broken wand.

                As Lockhart was signing pictures for them, despite them not doing anything to make him believe they wanted them, Adriana noticed Neville and his grandmother leaving beds at the other end of the room. Of course, it must've been where his parents lived ever since Death Eaters tortured them to insanity. She didn't know if the others knew about all this though, so she didn't bring their attention to it. It didn't matter though, because Ron also saw them and called out to Neville. Mrs Longbottom recognized Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione from what Neville had told her about them. She couldn't put a name on Adriana, which made sense because they only ever spent time together at the Yule Ball and during some of the D.A. meetings.

                "And who are you? I don't think Neville ever mentioned you."

                "I'm Adriana Snape. I'm in Ginny's year so your grandson and I don't see a lot of each other, but from the little we have, he's really nice."

                "Snape, are you in any way related to Professor Snape?"

                "He's my dad."

                "Not a very nice man, from what I've heard. Hard on his students."

                "I've noticed."

                Adriana was hoping the conversation would stay away from the subject of Neville's parents, but unfortunately Mrs Longbottom mentioned Snape was particularly hard on her grandson who wasn't that bad a student, though lacking his father's talents. When she gestured toward the two beds she and Neville had left, Ron obviously showed his surprise to learn about the Longbottoms living in St Mungo's. Mrs Longbottom wasn't happy to learn her grandson hadn't told his friends the terrible fate his parents had met, and she proceeded to tell everyone about it. Ron, Hermione and Ginny were horrified, as you'd expect, but Harry didn't react the same way. Clearly, he already knew.

                When Neville and his grandmother left, and the others said they didn't know about any of this, Harry admitted Dumbledore had told him Bellatrix Lestrange had been sent to Azkaban for this, but had made him promise not to tell anyone. Adriana also revealed her father had told her all about it.

                The last day of vacation, Ginny, Hermione and Adriana were trying to give advice to Harry about his potential relationship with Cho Chang, while he played wizard chess with Ron. Hermione said a lot, and once or twice Adriana and Ginny had to remind her that, despite all her smarts and insight, she wasn't actually in a relationship, like they were. Though Adriana's advice often went back to "are you sure you're really into her, I mean you don't seem to talk about her that much". She was after all Draco's friend and, by spending time with Harry, she noticed that he too spent a whole lot of time talking about Malfoy. She was starting to believe there was a chance of something there.

                Her train of thought, and their conversation, was interrupted by Mrs Weasley, who came to tell Harry professor Snape wanted to see him in the kitchen. Harry looked towards her, certainly remembering what she'd told him about occlumency lessons. The others seemed confused by all this. When Mrs Weasley told him to hurry, because Snape didn't have a lot of time, Adriana got up and was in the kitchen before Harry. Severus was sitting at the table, across from Sirius.

                "Dad! How are you? How come you didn't come by at Christmas? I really wanted to spend the holiday with you."

                "I'm sorry, Adri, but I was very busy with all sort of stuff for the Order, you understand?"

                "I don't have a choice, do I? But I'm getting tired of always understanding."

                She tried to walk away, but Severus caught her arm and pulled her into a hug.

                "I'm truly sorry, Adri. I know this must be hard for you, but I have to do this. No one else can. And it is essential in vanquishing the Dark Lord."

                "Maybe if you stopped calling him the Dark Lord," Sirius chimed in, "people would believe you're actually on our side now."

                "We don't need you here, Black."

                Harry entered the kitchen at this moment and they all sat down. Severus explained to him Dumbledore wanted him to get occlumency lessons and he should come to his office on Monday evening for the first one. Then Sirius and Severus started arguing and went as far as to take out their wands. Harry put himself in between them and Adriana tried to talk her father out of it while pulling on his arm. Fortunately, Mr Weasley arrived with everyone else, announcing he was fully healed, before anything could happen. Severus left without saying goodbye.

                Adriana was once again relieved to be back at Hogwarts, where she could see her father every day. On Monday morning, the common room was filled with people rejoicing at the idea of a Hogsmeade visit on Valentine's Day, which also made her happy. The only exception to the cheerfulness brought from this news was Draco.

                "What's wrong with you?"

                "I saw Potter ask that Chang girl something earlier and she looked really happy. They're going on a date in Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day, I'm sure of it."

                "And that bothers you because what? Were you planning on asking him out?"

                "No, but I don't want him with anybody else."

                "If you don't want him to date other people, tell him how you feel, do something about it. I think he might be interested too. Luna and I have been hanging out with Ginny Weasley, and apparently, Potter talks a lot about you, annoyingly so."

                "Oh, why didn't you tell me this earlier? Now it's too late, I have to wait for it to fail between Potter and that girl."

                "Don't blame me! You've been pining over him for years, I've told you to do something about it a thousand times at least."

                "I know, you and Theo won't let me forget it."

                "Then do something and we'll stop."

                Adriana's first day back went as any other day. She was happy to be reunited with Luna and they spent their entire lunch planning their Valentine's Day trip to Hogsmeade, during which they’d also celebrate Luna’s birthday. Adriana went by to see her father before his first occlumency lesson with Harry. She asked him not to be too hard on him, though she never believed there were any chances of that happening. She spent her evening hanging out with Luna and Theodore in the kitchen. They talked and they laughed and stayed up so late, Theodore had to carry Adriana back to their common room. She woke up on one of the couches the next morning, because boys couldn't access the girls' dormitories.

                This joy to be back didn't last long though. As soon as Adriana set foot in the Great Hall, before she even had time to reach the Slytherin table and figure out why Draco looked so smug reading The Daily Prophet, Luna grabbed her hand and pulled her to the Ravenclaw table, to seats that were a little apart from other people.

                "Now, this might upset you, but I need you to stay calm, okay?"

                They were interrupted by a shriek coming from Hermione at the Gryffindor table. Adriana turned towards her, but when she looked back to Luna, her girlfriend hadn't moved. She knew what brought that on.

                "Luna, what's going on?"

                For sole answer, Luna handed over a copy of that morning's edition of The Daily Prophet. Pictures of ten people covered most of the front page, with the title announcing an evasion from Azkaban.

                "Several Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban, that's bad, but why would you think it would upset me?"

                Again, Luna only pointed to a name under one the pictures : Augustus Rookwood. Severus had never shown Adriana any pictures of her second father. She was mesmerized for a moment, finally finding out what he looked like.

                "I never knew what he looked like. He seems really bored, doesn't he? Hey, Luna, is that the expression I have during Umbridge's class?"

                Luna took a more attentive look at the picture before answering in a careful tone.

                "Yes, that's exactly it. And you even have the same nose and mouth too."

                "We do?"

                "It's unmistakeable."

                "Do you mind if I keep this? I know it's weird, and maybe it's just this distance between my dad and I lately, but I don't know, it just feels nice knowing I look like someone else. Doesn't change the fact he's a Death Eater and I don't ever want to meet him, but we're still related and I don't have any family that I know of outside of my fathers. He's done terrible things, I'm sure, but from the little I know about him, Augustus was great with me and he loved me. He could've been a great father."

                "I'm sure he would've been."

                Tears had appeared in the corner of Adriana's eyes and Luna took her in her arms.

_Severus was with Voldemort on Monday night, when the ten Death Eaters broke out of Azkaban. He was there when they arrived and kneeled in front of the Dark Lord, grateful he'd taken over control of the dementors and let them out of this hell of a prison. While Voldemort was welcoming them all back, and catching them up with the plan, Augustus took Severus apart._

_"Severus, it's been a while. How's our daughter?"_

_"She's wonderful. She's in her fourth year at Hogwarts and she's incredibly smart. You'd be proud."_

_"And what house was she sorted in?"_

_"Slytherin, of course. Though she has a lot of Ravenclaw traits as well."_

_"I'm glad. And does she have friends? What about a boyfriend?"_

_"She has plenty of friends. And a girlfriend."_

_"And how is this girl dating our daughter like? Did you meet her?"_

_"Of course I met her, I'm their professor. She's weird and a big supporter of Harry Potter, but otherwise very smart. And she makes Adri happy."_

_"Are Hogwarts students still allowed to visit Hogsmeade during some weekends? I'd like to meet this daughter of ours."_

_"I don't think it's a good idea. First, you're a Death Eater escaped from Azkaban, you can't simply go to Hogsmeade. Second, I'm not sure Adri even wants to meet you."_

_"I'm her father!"_

_"I know, but she needs time. You've been away her whole life, she never thought the day would come that she'd get to know you. Let her process this."_

_"Fine. I guess I could use some time to get used to being free as well."_

_They talked some more about Adriana, until Severus had to go back to Hogwarts to prepare for the next day's classes._

                Everyone in Dumbledore's Army was working harder since all those Death Eaters escaped, Adriana included. She also tried to give occlumency tips to Harry, in the hopes her dad would stop complaining about how terrible he was at this, but nothing seemed to help. February came and Adriana started being really excited about the Valentine's Day visit in Hogsmeade. An entire day alone was exactly what her couple needed. Adriana had been spending less time with Luna lately, mostly because Theodore understood so much better what she was going through, having a Death Eater father as well. And all the secrets she had to keep about Severus, the Order and where she spent her vacations did nothing to help their relationship either. It felt to Adriana like they couldn't really talk anymore. Valentine's Day couldn't come fast enough.

                "You can't go. I forbid you to."

                Severus told Adriana one night after she'd told him how excited she was about that weekend.

                "What? You can't do that."

                "Of course, I can. I don't think it's safe for you to visit Hogsmeade anymore."

                "Why not? Because of the Azkaban evasion? If it was dangerous, Dumbledore would cancel the trip for everybody."

                "Everybody doesn't have a father among these Death Eaters wanting to meet them."

                "Augustus wants to meet me?"

                "Yes. He wanted to set it up during your next trip to Hogsmeade, but I told him it couldn't happen."

                "Then what's the problem? You told him not to come and I need this day with my girlfriend."

                "I can't be entirely sure he'll listen to me. I'm only doing this to keep you safe."

                "And ruin my relationship with Luna."

                Adriana stormed out and walked to the Astronomy tower, where she waited for Luna to finish her class. The Ravenclaw was disappointed they couldn't keep their Hogsmeade plans, and when Adriana suggested they could have their romantic day in the castle while most students would be out, Luna said she might have a thing in Hogsmeade with Hermione. She wouldn't say what exactly though and Adriana couldn't help feeling angry. At Luna, at Severus, at Augustus, at Voldemort, at everybody.

                On Valentine's Day morning, Adriana was pulled out of her bed and dragged to her common room by Pansy Parkinson, who left as soon as it was done, clearly unhappy to have been asked to do this. Adriana wasn't surprised to find Draco waiting for her there and turned around to go back to her dormitory. By now, Pansy would be on her way to Hogsmeade and there'd be no way for Draco to force her down again. It was pretty convenient that boys couldn't go up to the girls' dormitories and Adriana's Slytherin friends happened to all be boys. She hadn't noticed Draco's accomplice in this and she almost fell when Theodore grabbed her arm to keep her from going back to sleep.

                "Adri, what are you doing? I thought you and Luna had planned to spend the day together."

                Theodore said without letting go of her arm.

                "We did. But my dad forbade me to leave school grounds. And then Luna said she had something to do in Hogsmeade today, so I guess we don't have plans anymore."

                "We just saw her in the Great Hall. She was wondering why you weren't there yet."

                "Cause I don't feel like it. Tell her she can go do her thing in Hogsmeade, I'm going back to bed."

                "Adri, what happened?"

                "I just told you, Draco."

                "Okay then. Why won't Snape let you go to Hogsmeade?"

                "He doesn't think it's safe anymore."

                "Why not?"

                "The Death Eaters who escaped..." Adriana stopped while people walked through the room. It was already enough being the daughter of a professor without everyone learning who her second parent was. Once the common room was empty again, she continued. "One of them's the man who gave birth to me."

                "Both your parents are Death Eaters?"

                "Theo, please, will you not advertise it? There are still people up there who could hear you."

                "Theo, go tell Luna Adri's not feeling well and won't be able to meet up this morning, but is looking forward to having a special dinner with her in the kitchen."

                "Draco!"

                Theodore was gone before she could protest more. When he came back, Draco explained he thought Adriana and Luna needed something like a romantic dinner, but they also all needed to talk about their situation of being Death Eaters children in a time where Voldemort was back, but most people didn't know. They stayed in their pyjamas and talked all morning, sitting on the floor of the common room. They went to the Great Hall for lunch, where other kids, mostly first and second years, side-eyed them for not having gotten dressed before walking around the castle. They saw Cho Chang at the Ravenclaw table, talking to her friend, clearly upset. It seemed her date with Harry hadn't gone well. Draco was ecstatic.

                During the afternoon, they set up a nice table, with flowers and paper hearts, by the fire in the kitchen. Dobby agreed to set aside food for Adriana and Luna so they could have a romantic dinner, away from everyone else for once. Theodore even made a partition appear to cut them apart from the working elves. Then the boys left for dinner in the Great Hall.

                Luna loved the setting. She also apologized for having had to go to Hogsmeade without her girlfriend, but explained Hermione wanted Rita Skeeter to interview Harry Potter and publish it in The Quibbler. Adriana understood and thought it was a great idea. She apologized in her turn for taking how upset she was out on Luna.

                They talked a lot while they ate. Adriana's food went cold while she was telling Luna how she'd been feeling, how angry everything made her ever since Voldemort had come back. She mentioned her dad being away on missions for Dumbledore all summer and during the holidays, how lonely she'd been and how confused she was about Augustus having escaped. She couldn't say anything about the Order or her dad being a double agent between Dumbledore and Voldemort, but she did tell Luna how worried she felt for Severus. After that, they spent the evening cuddling by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, until they both fell asleep on the cushions Adriana had summoned.


	9. Anger Grows When Things Get Worse

                The next Quidditch match opposed Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. It was Ginny's first time playing and though her team lost, she did still catch the snitch. Adriana, Luna, Theodore and Neville waited for her near the changing rooms after the match to congratulate her. The girls had become closer during the last few months and they could justify that friendship by the fact they had classes together. Never the three of them at the same time, but being in three different houses meant they rarely had classes without one of the others being there too. Luna and Neville had become friends through the D.A. and, after what happened during Christmas, he had started hanging out with her, Ginny and Adriana more. Theodore only hung out with Ginny in D.A. sessions, but it still made sense for him to follow along two of his best friends to see another one of their friends. It was important to think of those things to avoid drawing attention to the fact kids of all houses were friends. Otherwise, Umbridge might've gotten suspicious about the D.A.

                Toward the end of February, the new edition of The Quibbler came out. Adriana read with interest Harry's count of what had happened at the end of last year. It turned out names were included and she knew some of her fellow Slytherins wouldn't be happy about that. No one knew which one of them were Death Eaters children, until now. It wouldn't change much for her though, because Severus didn't go to the cemetery that night.

                The next morning, a flock of owls landed on the Gryffindor table. Harry had gotten his copy of the magazine and apparently a lot of fan mail. Luna grabbed Adriana’s hand and joined him at the Gryffindor table, she hadn't told him the issue came out yet. While Ron and Hermione were reading some letters, Umbridge came behind them. She was furious about the article and took away Harry's privilege for Hogsmeade's visits, on top of giving him a week of detention.

                "And you, since when do you hang out with this group?"

                "I don't, I just followed my girlfriend here."

                Adriana had wanted to tell Umbridge the truth, that they all spent time together and that she wasn't like the other Slytherins, unwilling to make friends among other houses and simply enjoy the favouritism. However, lying was the best option to protect the D.A. Then, Umbridge forbade possession of The Quibbler, insuring the spread of Harry's story among everyone in the school, including teachers. Xenophilius informed Luna the next day he had to reprint the magazine because it sold more and faster than ever.

                They had a little celebration in the next D.A. meeting a few days later. Theodore wasn’t much into it due to his father having been revealed as a Death Eater in the article. He agreed it was important for everyone to know the story, but disapproved of Harry having named all of the people who had been present in the cemetery. Some of the members were a little colder to him, however some others sympathised, he hadn’t chosen his father after all. Theodore now spent more time with Draco’s gang, who were in the same situation he was. Adriana was a little left out from their conversations about it because no one knew about her parents’ involvement with the Death Eaters. As everyone was leaving the room of requirements, Harry took Adriana apart.

                "You hang out with some of those kids who have Death Eaters as parents, right?"

                "Yeah, why?"

                "Do you know anything about a man called Rookwood? Or could you find out anything about him?"

                "Why?"

                "I just need to know more about him, that's all."

                "Why him in particular? Why not another one, or all of them? What's so special about Rookwood?"

                "I can't really tell you."

                "Well, you know, in that case, I can't tell you anything either. Sharing information can't always just go one way."

                Adriana was irritated and she felt like Harry might be able to tell the subject of Rookwood hit a sensible cord. But then, according to Ginny, he wasn't very good at reading emotions.

                "Fine. Remember that connection between mine and Voldemort's minds allowing me to see the snake attack Mr Weasley?"

                "You saw something else?"

                "Yeah, occlumency lessons aren't helping."

                "I heard."

                "I should've known. Anyway, I think Rookwood might be helping Voldemort with something, a plan to get what he's been looking for. I was trying to figure out more, but all I know is he was sent to Azkaban for sharing Ministry information with Voldemort and I learned in my dream he used to work-"

                "For the department of mysteries, I know."

                "So, do you know anything else about him? Does he have a kid in Hogwarts you could ask or something?"

                "I don't have much more information than you do. He does have a kid here, but we talked after he escaped from Azkaban and they don't know anything either."

                "Could whoever it is find out stuff?"

                "No ways of communication are safe around Umbridge, remember?"

                "Oh, right. Thanks, anyway."

                "You have to get better at occlumency, my dad wouldn't be happy if he saw that dream in your head."

                Even if it were safe, Adriana didn't know how she would even get in contact with Augustus. Severus saw him pretty regularly, but she wouldn't feel comfortable passing messages through him. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know the man at all. Most of all, she hoped Harry wouldn't see Severus in one of those dreams he had about Voldemort.

                One morning in March, an owl flew down in front of Adriana during breakfast. She was a bit confused, because Sirius, Remus, Tonks and her had agreed they'd pass messages through Severus if ever they needed to talk, and Adriana knew no one else outside of Hogwarts. Who could possibly be writing to her?

                "Look, there's a bow on it. Could be a birthday gift." Neville noticed. He had decided to have breakfast with them that morning, even though he usually never sat with them when they were at the Slytherin table. But today was special.

                "But from who? My dad and I are celebrating tonight before Potter's private lesson, I don't think he would've sent me my gift already."

                "The letter probably answers that question." Theodore suggested.

                Adriana took the parchment roll from the owl and opened it. She couldn't recognize the handwriting. She read it out loud for the others, not thinking it could be a bad idea.

**Happy Birthday, Adriana!**

**I hope things are going well for you at Hogwarts. Severus told me you weren't comfortable meeting me yet. I think it would help if we exchanged letters to get to know each other. I know you don't have an owl yet, so I got you one. Isn't it a perfect birthday gift?**

**Love, your other father**

                Severus must've told him about Umbridge and her inspecting some of the mail, because Augustus hadn't signed his name.

                "Severus told him? Your dad's in contact with him? How is he in contact with a Death Eater?"

                "Your other dad is a Death Eater? And Snape talks to him?"

                Adriana momentarily put her face in her hands. Then she took a breath and exchanged a look with Theodore. How were they supposed to explain this one? And more than that, Theodore thought Severus was actually a Death Eater while Luna knew he was on Dumbledore’s side, though Adriana hadn’t told her he was pretending to be on Voldemort’s. She had to find a way to explain this quickly without any of them noticing she hadn’t been entirely honest with either.

                “Rookwood wrote to him after he escaped, because they do have a child together despite the fact one of them spent the last fifteen years in Azkaban. That's why my dad doesn't want me to go to Hogsmeade anymore. He thinks Rookwood might show up to meet me."

                "Why didn't you tell me before?" Luna inquired.

                "I didn't want you to think there was anything to worry about."

                "You don't need to protect me, Adri. I can handle knowing things like this. I'm in the D.A. like both of you."

                "But your dad isn't a Death Eater." Theodore added.

                "So what? Neither of you have much more experience with that than I do. Sure, it feels different, but in the whole of things you didn't live through having a Death Eater as a parent while Voldemort is in power yet. He was supposed dead most of our lives and he's still pretending to be."

                "You're right, I'm sorry, I should've told you."

                "I can't believe your other dad is one of the Death Eaters who recently escaped Azkaban. Wait, was he one of those who tortured my parents?" Neville asked.

                "No, he wasn't. He worked at the Ministry and passed information to Voldemort. Could you please not mention this to anybody?"

                "Yeah, of course."

                "Adri, we have to go now, with all this we're about to be late to Umbridge's class." Luna interjected.

                Adriana and Luna ran their fastest to manage to get to class in time. They both remembered the detention Adriana had with Umbridge the first day of class and they had no intention to give their professor a reason to punish them. They made it on time, to yet another boring class where all they did was read their book. At lunch, Adriana sat with Luna, Theodore, Draco and other Death Eater kids. They usually never sat all together, but they wanted to do something special for her birthday. Luna seemed to feel out of place among this group of Slytherins with whom she didn't have much in common.

                After dinner with her father, Adriana hung out in the potion classroom with Luna and Theodore. No one ever bothered them there, Severus' class wasn’t a very popular one. They had fun trying to create potions and modifying some already existing ones. Draco joined them after he ate dinner with Crabbe and Goyle, he was even the one who convinced Theodore to stop practicing for his OWLs and participate in what the girls were doing. It was more creative, and the experience could actually help better understand how potions worked, not that any of them had trouble with that.

                They were in the middle of trying to modify the Developing Solution, so that pictures could not only move but have smell as well, when they heard a woman shriek. They couldn't figure out where it came from, or who it was or what it was about. When she shrieked again, they put off their fires and ran out, almost being knocked away by Severus and Harry who were doing the same. Most students had still been eating in the Great Hall and had come to see what was happening.

                The divination teacher was in the middle of a circle formed by the crowd. She looked dishevelled and had two trunks with her. Umbridge was standing in front of her, clearly enjoying this public sacking. Adriana, Luna, Theodore and Draco had all heard rumours Trelawney wasn't very good and had gotten worse since being put in probation, but none of them ever took her class. They did however agree kicking her out of the castle like this, in front of everyone, seemed unnecessarily cruel. McGonagall left the crowd to comfort her and Dumbledore appeared through the main doors, coming from outside.

                For some reason, kindness for sure, but most likely more than that judging from the lack of protest in Severus' face, Dumbledore insisted Trelawney keep living at Hogwarts, despite having been dismissed as a professor. After she'd gone back to her apartments, he announced he'd already found a new divination teacher, a centaur named Firenze. Umbridge looked absolutely furious, she hated hybrids after all. Adriana, however, wished she could be taught by him, not only did he look amazing, but the knowledge he must have and it would be so interesting to learn more about his kind.

                The last session before Easter break, Harry taught the Patronus Charm to the D.A. It was a pretty useful spell used to get rid of dementors. You needed to think of something happy while conjuring it. Adriana remembered the night of the Yule Ball when she danced with Luna and they shared their first kiss. Once again, the Slytherin stood out among the group. While Luna’s patronus was a hare, Harry’s a stag, Ginny’s a horse, and everyone else’s other animals of the sort, Adriana’s was a snake, which no one saw as a positive thing, especially Seamus Finnigan whose boyfriend had brought him along for the first time that night and didn't know her. It was the symbol of Slytherin House, which had been the one where most dark wizards had come from, Voldemort himself valued the House and had a pet snake.

                “A snake. Most likely You-Know-Who has the same patronus.”

                “Voldemort couldn’t possibly produce a patronus.” Adriana assured.

                “Of course he could, he’s one of the most powerful wizards in history.”

                “There is no way he has thoughts happy enough for a Patronus. Happy people don’t become dark wizards.”

                Theodore’s patronus temporarily took the shape of a bat, but disappeared quickly. He couldn’t find memories happy enough to make a strong patronus. None of this helped his situation with several D.A. members who had stopped talking to him ever since it was revealed Mr Nott was a Death Eater.

                The lesson was interrupted when Dobby warned them of Umbridge’s imminent arrival. Everybody ran away, pursued by Slytherin students the professor had gotten to help her. Most members managed to escape, though it didn’t matter, because Pansy Parkinson found the list of all their names and gave it to Umbridge anyway. Adriana saw this when Goyle, who caught her by grabbing her arm as she ran past where he was hiding, brought her to the professor. He had never liked her. Fortunately, Luna, Ginny and Neville left fast enough to get away and none of the Slytherins even tried to catch Theodore. They joined Draco, who had captured Harry, and he threw an angry look at both Goyle and Adriana. Clearly, he’d preferred she’d gotten away or, better yet, hadn’t been part of this at all. She replied with a look she hoped would translate how discouraged she was at him, yet again doing the wrong thing to try to win Harry over.

                “Adriana Snape, I expected better from a member of Slytherin House. What will your father think when he hears of this? Oh poor Severus, his own daughter involved in an illegal group.”

                The other Slytherins snickered while Adriana’s anger rose. Umbridge sent them to try and catch more members of their group. She took Harry and Adriana's arms in each of her hands with a firm grasp and brought them to Dumbledore's office. He was sitting at this desk, calm as always, to the opposite of McGonagall who was standing behind him quite tense. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic himself, was there as well, accompanied by two aurors and Percy Weasley.

                Fudge asked them if they knew why they were there. Adriana had no intention to lie, there was no point to do so, but when Harry did, she followed his lead. Umbridge then fetched Cho Chang's friend, who was the one who'd betrayed them. She was disfigured by huge pimples forming the word "Sneak" across her face. This could only be Hermione's work, she must've cursed the piece of paper they all signed, the list of names Umbridge produced as evidence of the meeting they had that evening.

                When the Headmaster learned they'd called themselves Dumbledore's Army, he took the blame. Fudge sent Percy to share this information with the Daily Prophet and explained he was arresting Dumbledore and sending him to Azkaban to where the Headmaster replied he had no intention to go. Escaping from there wouldn't be a problem, simply a waste of time he'd rather avoid. Dumbledore rendered Fudge, Umbridge and the aurors unconscious when the Minister insisted they arrest him by force. McGonagall pushed Harry, Adriana and Cho's friend out of the way. After making sure they were all alright, Dumbledore vanished with the help of his phoenix.

                Umbridge became Headmistress the next day. The story of what had happened somehow circulated through the castle and students who'd never even talked to Adriana before came to ask her about it. At some point, she got so annoyed at them she simply turned around, wand in hand and pushed everyone away with a single curse. She walked away while they were getting up. She tried to hide in the Slytherin common room, but it turned out Umbridge had formed a group called the Inquisitorial Squad, who were like prefects with the added power of taking points away. They had been picked because they were loyal to the Ministry, rejecting the idea of Voldemort being back. Adriana immediately saw the irony in the fact most of these students had a Death Eater parent and knew perfectly well Dumbledore had told the truth about Voldemort, they were simply keeping the pretense.

                Draco caught up with Adriana in the hallway outside the common room as she was walking away from all the bragging. He was angry and wanted her to explain why she was ever part of Dumbledore's Army. She couldn't stand any of this anymore. Severus keeping secrets and spending a lot less time with her, Umbridge and her reign of abuse, the Ministry denying the war that was preparing, students in her house thinking they were better than everybody else, Theodore distancing himself from her to hang out with other kids whose parents had been exposed as Death Eaters, Luna who could never truly understand what she was going through and all the lies Adriana had to tell her. Her whole world was crumbling. She was being pulled in different directions and she didn't want to have to pretend anymore, she didn't want any part of it. She had never agreed to play both sides like her father and she was so tired of all the effort it took.

                She simply cracked. She screamed so suddenly, it scared Draco. She pushed him against the wall and started yelling at him. She didn't reveal anything important, mostly she mentioned how much of an idiot he'd been about Potter and how she hated how he always mocked everyone and acted so superior. She was in the middle of asking if there was even a small part of him that wasn't so uselessly mean when Severus put his hand on her shoulder.

                "Adri, stop. I don't know what took over you, but you need to let it go now."

                "No!" She yelled. Draco seized the opportunity to run away when she turned toward her father. "I'm done with all the lies and pretenses."

                “This is the start of a war, Adri. No one is happy about it and we all have to make sacrifices. I’m sorry you don’t get the choice to choose whether to take part in this fight or not, because of me. However, wars aren’t fair and you have to deal with it.”

                Adriana was about to say something when they heard a loud explosion. They both ran to the Entrance Hall where fireworks of different shapes and sizes, clearly the work of the Weasley twins, were wrecking havoc. Umbridge and Filch were panicked. These fireworks didn't simply do their purpose and disappear, they got everywhere and kept perturbing the castle all afternoon. Adriana congratulated Fred and George as soon as she saw them. None of the teachers did anything to get rid of the fireworks who disturbed their classes, but called for Umbridge's help. It seemed even they were decided to make it as hard as possible for the new Headmistress.

                That evening, Adriana didn't feel like being around anyone at Hogwarts. Now that she knew about the room of requirements, she understood it was where she used to hide growing up. She went back up there and, as she'd thought, discovered a room very different from the one they used for D.A. meetings, but exactly as it was when she was a kid. Once inside, she only had to think about being hungry for the passageway to Aberforth's pub to appear. He was happy to see her; it had been a while since her last visit. She sat at a table and told him what had happened the past few days at Hogwarts over a butterbeer. He seemed particularly interested to hear the explanation for Dumbledore's departure, though Adriana couldn't get him to admit why. When she mentioned the D.A. and their first meeting at the Hog's Head, which she didn't attend, Aberforth revealed they were currently inside it and he had assisted to that reunion. He had also informed Dumbledore of it, so the Headmaster had known about it all along.

                Adriana slept in a spare bed Aberforth had on the first floor. She was woken in the morning by a visitor down in the pub. She went downstairs only to find Dumbledore there. He might not have been Headmaster anymore, but running into him outside Hogwarts during class hours felt like getting caught committing a crime.

                "Do not worry, Adriana, I will not tell your father about this, as long as you promise to go back to the castle by the end of today. Now, have breakfast while I talk to my brother in private."

                "Your brother? All this time and neither of you told me?"

                "Albus and I aren't in the greatest of terms. I don't make it a habit to establish our relation to everyone I know."

                "Why would he come to you two days after he had to flee the Ministry if you really were on bad terms?"

                "Strictly Order business. Now, stop asking questions and eat."

                Adriana did as she was asked, though she tried to overhear the conversation, without success. She spent the afternoon doing her homework down in the Hog’s Head, her Hogwarts uniform granting her strange looks from Aberforth’s clients.

                “Where were you? I’ve been looking for you all day.”

                Luna asked as soon as her girlfriend set foot in the Great Hall.

                “I just needed to be alone for a while.”

                “Do you feel better now at least?”

                “Well, Umbridge gave me detention for the rest of the week for having disappeared and skipped all my classes today. And my dad forbad me to spend Easter holidays at my girlfriend’s, for fear of my father trying something if I leave the castle.”

                “I think you’ll have to make it up to your girlfriend, all this time without her, she’ll miss you. Maybe you should let her comfort you.”

                “What does that involve?”

                “Letting her treat the bruise on your hand after all these detentions, letting her hold you while you sleep, oh and letting her do whatever she wants in potions class tomorrow to get back at your dad, even though he only means well.”

                “Oh, that’s harsh, but fair I guess. Fine, I’ll meet you in the Ravenclaw common room after my detention.”

                Luna smiled and Adriana kissed her before she left for Umbridge’s office. Other Ravenclaws weren’t particularly happy about Adriana suddenly spending most of her free time in their common room. They claimed she didn’t belong there and Luna and her should hang out somewhere else.

                “You think I don’t know you just want Luna to be away from you or unprotected from you bullies? Because you think she’s weird? You think I don’t know you laugh at her and steal her stuff? Did you never ask yourselves how she always manages to wear Hogwarts robes despite you having stolen hers away weeks ago? If you paid minimal attention to this awesome human being, you would’ve noticed the Slytherin logo on her clothes. Luna deserves so much better and if I catch any of you trying anything while I’m here, you’ll regret it. Oh, and you better give her back her things soon too.”

                “Adri, I thought we agreed I was taking care of you.”

                “Well, if you bothered standing up to these idiots yourself, I wouldn’t have to do it.”

                “They’re not worth it. Calling me names and stealing my stuff isn’t that bad, just ignore them. We have way better things to do anyway.”

                It turned out Adriana could be as scary as Severus, because the next morning everything the Ravenclaw kids had stolen from Luna were in a pile at the foot of her bed. No one even dared look sideways at them anymore. Letting Luna do whatever she wanted in potions that day proved hilarious. She brewed a potion that had nothing to do with the assignment. Adriana helped her and Severus kept trying to get them back on track. At some point, he got so annoyed, he yelled at them, took points from both of their houses, threatened to give them 0, but ended up not doing so because they still showed a lot of skills in his class, more than most other students. He spent the remaining of the class ignoring them completely though.

                That night, Harry seized the opportunity to look at the memories Severus was hiding in the Pensieve during their occlumency lessons, when the potion master had to go help a Slytherin student. Needless to say, Severus was absolutely furious and decided to end these lessons. The boy had made no progress, seemed to be making no effort and had no respect whatsoever for authority. Adriana reminded him, for good measure, that it was Dumbledore's wish that Harry learn occlumency and that it was important in the fight against Voldemort. If she had to make sacrifices for it, why shouldn't he? Sure, what he was already doing was really hard and risky, but that link between Harry's and the Dark Lord's mind had the potential to ruin everything. She, of course, had no success. She caught up with the boy the next day.

                "Potter!" Adriana yelled from across an almost empty hallway. Harry was alone for once, but the presence of his friends wouldn't have changed anything for her. "You are such an ungrateful disrespectful jerk! I'm starting to believe my dad isn't completely wrong about you."

                "Is this about what happened last night? I guess he told you everything about it, because you're his perfect little girl?"

                They had both walked halfway across the hall and we're now standing at speaking distance.

                "You had the opportunity to study occlumency from one of the greatest Occlumens there is and you threw it away. Dumbledore wanted you to do this because it's extremely important in the fight against Voldemort. I even offered to help you, but did you take me up on that offer? No, you didn't. You put no effort into this, you didn't even get any better since you started. This isn't only about you, you know."

                "Who is it about then? Cause last I checked, I'm the one Voldemort wants to kill, I'm the one who has this weird connection with him that everyone's afraid of, I'm-"

                "Everyone's afraid Voldemort could use this connection to manipulate you. We've all just been trying to help you. And what did my dad get in return? You spied on his memories. Memories he didn't want anyone to see. These were private. How could you?"

                "Ron thought at some point that maybe your dad was actually trying to make it easier for Voldemort to get inside my head and you know what? I think he might not have been wrong. Did you ever consider that maybe Snape went back to the Death Eaters?"

                "When will you stop doubting him? My dad is on Dumbledore's side. You have no idea what he's doing for the Order, no idea what he's risking everyday for this fight."

                "You have no idea what it's like to be me, having so many people against me, one of the most powerful wizards trying to kill me, no one telling me anything except to stay safe. You have no idea!"

                "Maybe I don't know about actual threats, but I do know about potential threats. I know what it's like never to know if your dad will ever come back home, or whether there might be a risk for your own life. I haven't been allowed to go to Hogsmeade ever since these Death Eaters escaped. I can't even spend Easter vacations with my girlfriend because my dad is scared for my safety. Stop thinking everything is about you and you're the only one suffering from this war, Potter, because you're not."

                Adriana had said everything she needed to say and she walked away. She was almost late to Umbridge's detention. Luna kept taking care of her for the remaining of the week, and made absolutely sure she had succeeded in cheering Adriana up before leaving for Easter break. The crazy thing was, Adriana didn't even have to lie to get her to go spend time with her dad, she actually was feeling better.


	10. The Unspeakable's Daughter

                Adriana spent most of her Easter break hanging out with Ginny. It felt nice to do something together again for the first time since the D.A. was discovered. Most of Ginny's friends had gone home during vacations, the twins were always busy working on either stuff for their future joke shop or plans to make life hell for Umbridge, Theodore and Malfoy were studying for their OWLs as were Neville, Ron, Hermione and Harry. In fact, most students who had stayed were there to study or, like Ginny, had Quidditch practice. It meant that Adriana and Ginny basically had the whole castle to themselves. They went to the Quidditch stadium a few times. Ginny was reminded she actually liked Quidditch and flying a broom, unlike what the recent Gryffindor team practices might have led her to believe, and she was impressed to see how good Adriana was.

                "How come you're not on the Slytherin team?" Ginny asked the last night of break, as they were sitting in Firenze's classroom. Neither of them were taking divination, but they'd heard about the beautiful forest-like ambiance Dumbledore had created for the centaur.

                "Are you kidding? Do I look like a big intimidating bloke?"

                "No, but you have Snape's eyes and when you're angry, your face takes the same scary expression his does. I think it counts for something."

                "The captain clearly didn't think so when I was in second year."

                "You haven't tried out since then? Maybe the new captain thinks differently."

                "Well, I really enjoy watching the matches with Luna."

                "Oh, I see. How long have you been together again?"

                "Over a year. It became official at the Yule Ball, remember?"

                "Yeah, that was a great night."

                "An incredible night. How are things between you and Michael?"

                "Great, we have so much more to talk about now that I play Quidditch too. It's quite nice actually."

                They kept talking until Firenze himself came and told them it was getting late. The next day, right after classes, Fred and George got caught by Umbridge, after they transformed an entire hallway into a swamp. Adriana and Luna couldn't help but admire their magical talents, their imagination and how they dared do something like this. The twins summoned their brooms and flew away, announcing they now owned an actual store in Diagon Alley, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and telling Peeves to take over making Umbridge's life hell.

                Hogwarts became filled with chaos after that. Not only did Umbridge not manage to get rid of the swamp, forcing Filch to transport students across it in a small boat, but several students took over from Fred and George and started doing pranks. Adriana even participated when all the Gryffindors and several Slytherins in her Defence Against the Dark Arts class decided to use the Weasley's Skiving Snackboxes to make it seem like they had a strange disease called Umbridgitis as soon as Umbridge entered the room. They obviously all ended up with a detention, but it was worth it, just to be part of the rebellion. Adriana had a pretty good relationship with Peeves, having grown up in the castle, and that allowed her and Luna to circulate around Hogwarts, safe from whatever he was doing. He informed them of locations of his next pranks, which they particularly appreciated when he flooded an entire floor, and, in exchange, Luna used her incredible imagination to give the poltergeist new ideas.

                Adriana was walking with Draco, a few days after Gryffindor won their match against Ravenclaw, and the Quidditch cup with it, when they ran into Harry. She hadn't talked to him ever since their little fight, but it didn't matter, there could've been a dragon walking by and these two wouldn't have noticed it.

                "Thanks for the Weasley Is Our King song, Malfoy. I hated it at first, cause it made fun of my best friend, but we made it into a nice victory song, didn't we?"

                "I'd take points away from you for that, Potter, but sadly, your house doesn't have any left."

                "Slytherins, always big talkers, but you never really do anything, do you?"

                "I do plenty. I came up with the Potter Stinks badges, I got you to get a lifetime ban from Quidditch, I came up with that song you like so much, I could go on."

                "You could, but this list still wouldn't include anything good, so who cares really? Tell me, Malfoy, how come you waste so much time being such a jerk to me? Don't you have anything better to do? Or are your friends that boring and unimaginative?"

                "I was trying to get your attention, but apparently you are blind, Potter."

                "Why would you do that?"

                "I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU CLUELESS MORON!"

                All year, Draco had grown more and more annoyed that Harry never seemed to realize how much time he spent on him since they started attending Hogwarts. Why ever else would he talk to him so often?

                “What?”

                “I’ve had a crush on you forever, how have you not noticed yet?”

                “The entire Slytherin house noticed, it is so obvious.” Adriana chimed in, but no one was paying her any attention.

                “You spend all your time insulting me and my friends.”

                “Yeah, I’ve been told that may not have been the best way to go about this, but I have a reputation to maintain.”

                “I always thought you hated me.”

                “What does it matter, you hate me.”

                “No, I don’t. I just couldn’t admit having feelings for someone who’s been such a jerk to me and everyone else.”

                Draco grabbed Harry by the front of his robes, pulled him close and kissed him. Adriana left when it seemed they would keep doing that for a while. She joined Theodore and Neville who were studying near the lake.

                “Where’s Luna?”

                “Ginny came and suggested we all needed snacks, so they went to the kitchen. Neville wanted to help them, but they insisted OWLs were important and we should both just keep studying.”

                “How’s Ginny doing? Michael and her broke up, didn’t they?”

                “She’s already moved on.” Neville answered. “I don’t think she’ll be single very long.”

                “I’m glad.”

                “Weren’t you coming here with Draco?” Theodore inquired.

                “Oh, he got distracted on the way here.”

                “Potter?”

                “Yeah.”

                “And you just left Draco to deal with him and his friends by himself?”

                “Potter was alone, and Draco seemed to be handling it okay. They didn’t need me there at all.”

                Luna and Ginny came back, arms full of snacks.

                “We just saw Harry and Draco. They were all over each other in the marble staircase.”

                “Fighting?” Neville suggested.

                “No, kissing.”

                “Well, I guess I didn’t need to be discreet about it. They obviously don’t care if people learn about this.” Adriana said.

                When Draco finally joined them, holding Harry’s hand, he simply told them to shut up and they all went back to their studies. Adriana, Luna and Ginny were done with their exams by the time OWLs started. The last day of these examinations, they all learned McGonagall had tried to help Hagrid while he was being sacked by Umbridge and she was stunned by multiple people at a time and sent to St Mungo’s. Since Adriana was done with her exams and had spent some time staying at McGonagall’s at the start of the previous summer, Severus accepted to bring her, Luna and Ginny to visit the professor that afternoon.

                They came back to the castle to find Harry quite agitated. He’d had a dream during his last exam showing him Sirius being tortured by Voldemort. They decided on a plan to allow him to use Umbridge’s fireplace to contact Sirius in Grimmauld Place and confirm whether the vision was in fact true. With Dumbledore, McGonagall and Hagrid gone, no Order member trusted by Harry remained. Adriana thought it was better not to mention her father, since Hermione convinced Harry to double-check anyway. They unfortunately got caught by Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad.

                Draco was sent to get Severus, but he had no more Veritaserum for her to use on Harry, who had the good sense to tell the potion master what was going on, though in words making it impossible for Umbridge to understand what he meant. Severus threw Adriana a disapproving look before leaving the room. Clearly, he wasn’t pleased by her choice of people to hang out with, and the fact she’d gotten into trouble because of them again. Umbridge then threatened to use the Cruciatus Curse to get Harry to reveal who he was contacting so Hermione lied about them having built a weapon for Dumbledore and she left with Harry to show Umbridge.

                After their departure, Ginny managed to get to a wand and she hexed the members of the Inquisitorial Squad. Adriana felt a little bad for Draco, but quickly got her wand back and followed the others out the castle to try and find Harry and Hermione. When they reached them, near the forest, they both had blood all over them. Harry mentioned he wanted to go to the Ministry of Magic to save Sirius and everyone insisted to accompany him, despite his protests.

                “How would we all get there though? All the brooms are locked away.”

                “Thestrals. They have an excellent sense of direction.” Luna surprised everyone. “And look, your smell has already attracted some.”

                She was pointing to the edge of the woods, where she, Adriana, Harry and Neville could see the head of a thestral staring at them.

                “I’ve always wanted to fly thestrals and we finally have an occasion to do it!” Adriana exclaimed excitedly.

                Ginny, Ron and Hermione looked doubtful about this idea, most likely the thought of riding animals they couldn’t see made them uncomfortable. Harry and Neville had no problem mounting their thestrals while Luna and Adriana helped the others. They departed as soon as Harry told the destination to his ride. The feeling of being in the air was incredible and they could admire the sunset well from up there. Adriana exchanged a smile with Luna, this was a lot of fun.

                Ginny, Hermione and especially Ron were relieved when they could finally get down from their thestrals. It must've been hard to appreciate the ride when you couldn't see anything holding you way up in the sky. All seven of them squeezed inside the out of order phone box who served as the visitors' entrance to the Ministry and it brought them inside. The atrium was impressive, but completely empty. They immediately proceeded to the elevators and went down to the Department of Mysteries. Once at the door, Harry suggested some of them stay there and keep watch.

                "When will you stop trying to push us aside, Potter? We're all here to help and we're going with you. Can't hurt for there to be more of us if we're gonna fight Voldemort."

                They entered a circular room with identical doors all around, which started spinning around them as soon as Neville closed the door behind them. They couldn't tell which way they'd come in by anymore. They had to try several doors before finding the one from Harry's dream. They went through another room and finally reached the one they were looking for. It was a huge room filled with shelves containing small glass orbs. But when they arrived in the spot where Harry had seen Voldemort torturing Sirius in his dream, no one was there. Ron found an orb with Harry's name on it which they all thought was intriguing. Despite everyone telling him not to, Harry picked it up. Which is when Lucius Malfoy showed up, asking him to give it to him.

                A dozen Death Eaters surrounded them, their wands pointed in their direction. Harry started asking about Sirius, but it quickly became evident his dream had been false. Dumbledore's fear had come to pass and Voldemort had used the connection between their minds to trick him. Harry raised his wand and everyone else imitated him. It seemed they were safe as long as there was a risk to break the orb Lucius called prophecy in the process of hurting them to get it.

                While Harry distracted the Death Eaters and Hermione passed along the plan to break the shelves when he'd say so, Adriana was looking at the men in front of her. Her back was to Harry, so she couldn't see Draco's father and they were all wearing masks hiding their faces. But she did notice eyes just like Theodore's staring at them. It felt weird seeing so much hate in eyes so familiar, though she knew it could only be Mr Nott, Theodore himself was much taller than the man standing there. It felt awkward to be threatened by her friends' parents, she hadn't thought of that possibility when she decided to come along for this mission.

                Harry gave the signal and they all casted the Reducto spell. Prophecies exploded and fell from the top of the shelves. It made so much dust, they could barely see anymore. Adriana could hear someone screaming her name and was trying to figure out where it was coming from when Luna took her hand and pulled her away. She could still hear it as they all ran toward the door. When they'd gotten too far from the scream to perceive, she noticed Harry, Hermione and Neville weren't with them. There was no time to look for them though and they went through the first door they saw.

                The room they came in wasn't the same from which they'd entered the prophecy hall. They were now in a dark place filled with planets, as if they walked into a giant model of the solar system. They had no time to admire the beauty of it however, as four Death Eaters followed them in. One of them caught Ginny's leg. She in turn reached for Adriana's arm and pulled her down in her fall. Luna managed to make Pluto explode in the man's face and he let go of Ginny, though they heard a loud crack and she now had trouble running.

                They could finally see a door when one of the Death Eaters managed to curse Ginny’s brother. Adriana managed to stun him right after, but Ron started giggling uncontrollably and telling bad jokes. Luna and Ginny took care of the other two Death Eaters. They had a lot of trouble getting Ron to follow them. Luna held his arm and pulled him forward, but he kept getting out of her hold and she had to run after him again. Meanwhile, Adriana was helping Ginny walk. They somehow managed to make it out without any more Death Eaters attacking them.

                They ended up in the first room, the round one with doors all around it. Harry and Neville were there with an unconscious Hermione. Neville himself had a broken nose. They had time to tell them what had happened to the Weasleys, but the woman Death Eater who Adriana remembered from the Daily Prophet as Bellatrix Lestrange joined them with two others before they could find the way out.

                They somehow all managed to avoid stunning curses and escaped through one of the doors. This room contained what looked like a big aquarium, filled with brains. Unfortunately, it also had entrances all around for the Death Eaters to get through. Adriana, Luna and Harry ran to seal all the doors; Neville couldn't cast the spell because his broken nose prevented him from pronouncing anything properly. As Luna was sealing the last door, several Death Eaters came through it and she was sent across the room where she hit a table and lost consciousness.

                "LUNA!"

                Adriana ran toward her girlfriend, she had to make sure she was still alive. Ron, still giggling, used a summoning spell to take one of the brains, which wrapped around him. One of the Death Eaters stunned Ginny when she told Harry to hurry in helping him before her brother choked. There were now only three of them against five, and Neville still couldn't cast a spell. Harry had the idea to run away through the door the Death Eaters had come through. It was brilliant, because he still had the prophecy they all wanted so bad and therefore left everyone else alone. Neville, as the brave Gryffindor he was, followed them. There wasn't anything much he could do, but he still really wanted to help.

                Adriana tried to get him to stay and take care of Ron, while she would help Harry, but he didn't listen to her and she was too far to grab his arm. She ended up alone with the three unconscious girls and Ron who seemed to have more and more trouble breathing. She hesitated for a second, thinking Harry was safe as long as he was holding the prophecy, but then decided Neville was also there and they couldn't both fight all the adults alone.

                She was almost at the door when one of the Death Eaters appeared through it, stopping her in her tracks. She backed away slowly while he closed the door behind him. She couldn't figure out why he'd left the others and stopped trying to fulfil the mission Voldemort had sent them on. But it was one less person attacking her friends so she raised her wand, prepared to fight. Until he removed his mask.

                "Expelliarmus!" Augustus Rookwood exclaimed, seizing the opportunity during her hesitation. "Don’t be scared, Adriana, I won't hurt you. I just want to talk. I'm still your father even if you never replied to any of my letters."

                "Prove it. Save my friend from that brain, then we can talk."

                Augustus freed Ron from the brain and stunned him so he wouldn't bother them.

                "Here, your friend is safe. I used to work here, you know, in this very department, before I was sent to Azkaban. Feels weird to be back. Now tell me, did you come here with your girlfriend or did she stay at Hogwarts? I'd love to meet her."

                "How do you know about her?"

                "Severus told me. He also mentioned how smart you are, and apparently very talented, especially at potions and transfiguration. I'm very proud of you."

                "Is that why you disarmed me? You thought I might be able to beat you in a duel or something?"

                "I doubt that. I simply wanted to make sure you'd give me a chance to talk.”

                "Just so you could ask me about my girlfriend?"

                "Or something else. I'd like to get to know you."

                Luna was starting to wake up and Augustus' eyes fell on her.

                "Is that her? I heard you call her name when she fell earlier. What was it? Luna?"

                "Did you say something, Adri?" Luna whimpered. "Wait, is that your father?"

                Adriana was paralyzed. All she'd been trying to do was to keep her girlfriend safe from him. She was terrified he would hurt her.

                "Yes, I am. Nice to meet you, I'm Augustus Rookwood."

                "I know who you are. I saw your picture in the Daily Prophet when you escaped from Azkaban."

                "Yes, I'm afraid I don't make a great first impression anymore. But you did make a planet explode in my face earlier, so I'm not particularly fond of you either."

                "You and your friends were trying to kill us!"

                "If Potter had simply given Malfoy the prophecy..."

                "You would've killed us all." Adriana interrupted as she walked toward Luna.

                "I would never have let them hurt you."

                "You think letting my friends die while you saved me would've made me want to know you?"

                "I can't do anything for teenagers who think they can fight us, who defy the Dark Lord like this."

                "I am one of them! I could've stayed at Hogwarts tonight, but I chose to come with them. I will not stand for Voldemort's ideas."

                "Don't use his name. And how can you say something like this, you’re in Slytherin house, like us."

                "And I'm proud to be a Slytherin, but belonging there doesn't mean we all have to become Death Eaters. Theodore and I may be friends with kids who wish to grow up and join their fathers in Voldemort's ranks, but we are ready to fight. We understand it now. We have no other choice. We can’t just stay on the sidelines, we’re in the middle of this whether we want to or not, we are forced to pick a side. And we won’t join the Death Eaters."

                "Theodore? His that Nott's son?"

                "Yes."

                "Nott’s a good friend. I'm glad to learn you made some proper friends as well as these blood traitors Weasleys and the Potter boy."

                "Do not insult my friends! And I'll have you know Draco Malfoy, perfect future Death Eater, just started going out with Harry."

                "Oh, Lucius will be furious when he hears this. Does that mean you are friends with him too?"

                "What do you care who I'm friends with? You missed my entire childhood and for what? Because you decided to do as a man who hates muggles says? What did they all do to you?"

                Augustus was about to answer when Dumbledore entered the room.

                "Where are Harry and everyone else?" Albus asked after he'd stunned Augustus.

                "Through there." Luna pointed to the door.

                “You and Adriana, take care of the others and do not leave this room.”

                Dumbledore left to join the fight in the next room. Luna was still sitting on the ground, too sore to get up. Ron was probably better unconscious. Hermione still gave no sign of life other than her weak pulse. Ginny was just waking up.

                “Where are the others? We have to help them.”

                “Dumbledore’s helping and he said to stay here, where it’s safe. And neither you or Luna can get up on your own anyway. You Gryffindors are all so impulsive. You’re so eager to fight, but you don’t think first. Neville just went in there and he can’t even cast a spell.”

                “You let Neville go into the fight alone? Why didn’t you follow him? You and Harry are the only ones still unharmed.”

                “I tried to stop him, but he was too fast. And I never made it to the door because of that Death Eater you see on the floor.”

                Adriana sat next to Luna. There was nothing they could do, but wait. They just stayed there in silence, taking in what had happened in the past few hours. Adriana had actually met her second father for the first time, but by the looks of it, he was headed back to Azkaban. She didn’t know how she felt about that. All the action also hadn’t left them time to realize the full extent of the night’s events and how close they’d all come to death. But it wasn’t over yet, that became obvious when Bellatrix Lestrange ran into the room, pursued by Harry. Neither of them paid any attention to anyone else though. Harry seemed nothing like himself, completely possessed by rage. And when Remus came in after them, he was paler than ever. He fell on the ground before them, devastated, just as the door closed behind the other two.

                “Remus, what happened?” Adriana asked, worry straining her voice.

                “Bellatrix, she… He fell and… Then the veil… He just disappeared. He still had his beautiful smile on his face, and then he was gone… He’s gone, and he can’t ever come back. I lost him… I can’t believe I lost him.”

                “Sirius is dead?” Adriana asked. She couldn't believe someone she'd become such good friends with wouldn't be around anymore.

                Remus collapsed into tears at the sound of those words. Luna and Ginny reached toward him, but were still unable to get up. Adriana ran to him and took him in his arms. She couldn’t believe how unfair life was. Remus was already a werewolf, outcast of the world, unable to get a job. He finally managed to find friends who accepted him despite this. Then Peter betrayed them, James and his wife were murdered and his boyfriend was sent to Azkaban until he escaped twelve years later. They finally reunited only for Sirius to be murdered two years later. Remus didn’t deserve all this misery. No one deserved this. Adriana rocked a crying Remus in her arms, tears falling down her cheeks as she did so, until Dumbledore came back from the other room, Neville behind him.

                “Let’s do this quickly. Cornelius is waiting for me upstairs. He needs an explanation for what happened here tonight.”

                “And he wants it from you? I thought he was convinced you were crazy.” Adriana tried to understand.

                “He was, but he just saw Lord Voldemort in the entrance hall and came to his senses. He’ll remove Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts. I think it’ll be a relief for everyone.”

                “Voldemort was here? Is Harry okay? How come he isn’t with you?”

                “I sent him back to my office at Hogwarts. He and I need to have a talk about tonight’s events.”

                Dumbledore approached them.

                “Remus, I am so terribly sorry about what happened. I wish I could’ve prevented this. It was all my fault.”

                “No, how could- “ Adriana started, but she was interrupted by Remus.

                “You’re right, it was your fault. None of this would’ve happened if you’d given Harry occlumency lessons yourself instead of having Snape do it. He might be better at it, but he despises the boy. You knew You-Know-Who would try something like this and you failed considerably in stopping it. And now my fiancé’s dead.”

                “I didn’t know you two were engaged.”

                “It doesn’t matter now, does it?”

                “I’m truly sorry, Remus.” Dumbledore turned to Adriana. “Miss Snape, will you assemble the others, I’ll send you to the hospital wing at Hogwarts. And please take care of Remus for me. He needs you right now.”

                “What about other members of the Order?”

                “Some left for St Mungo’s with Tonks, the rest are looking over the captured Death Eaters.”

                Adriana helped Ginny and Luna walk to Remus and Neville pulled Hermione and Ron to the group. They held tightly to each other and took the portkey Dumbledore handed them. Ginny was holding her brother’s hand to it and Neville took care of Hermione’s. A minute later, they were back in the castle.

                “What happened to you all?” Madam Pomfrey exclaimed at the sight of several harmed students appearing in her hospital wing.

                “Neville has a broken nose, Ginny hurt her ankle, Luna flew across a room and fell on a table, Ron was attacked by a brain and Hermione was hit by an unknown curse. I think Remus is fine physically, but Sirius died so he needs company right now.”

                “And you?”

                “I somehow made it back unharmed. It’s weird, now that I think about it.”

                Adriana sat on one of the beds with Remus and kept holding him while Madam Pomfrey was taking care of everyone else. He finally fell asleep at sunrise, after Madam Pomfrey left to get some rest. Adriana was the only one still awake.

                “Are you okay?” Severus looked stricken with worry.

                “Yes, I’m fine. Don’t talk so loud, you’ll wake Remus.”

                “Do you have any idea how scared I was that I’d lose you? And I couldn’t even participate in this Battle and make sure you were safe.”

                “I’m sorry, but see, I came back unharmed.”

                “That is not the point, Adri. You could have died, or did you even think you going there could have compromised my mission?”

                “I… My friends needed me.”

                “It was a trap. You knew why I was giving Harry occlumency lessons, you should’ve stopped them.”

                “Are you saying Sirius’ death is my fault?”

                “I would never say that. But your little excursion to the Ministry did have consequences. Do you think it went over Lucius Malfoy’s head that you are the only kid other than Potter who was unharmed? And you weren’t the one holding the prophecy.”

                “What are you saying?”

                “They know, Adri, they know about you now. The Dark Lord told me himself. Bellatrix Lestrange noticed Augustus leaving the Death Chamber in the middle of the battle to go back where you and other kids were. She noticed his subtle attempts to protect you. It brought attention to you. The Dark Lord is already making plans to take Malfoy’s failure out on his son. Now he knows you’re Augustus’ daughter too, not just mine.”

                “Well, that’s Augustus’ fault, isn’t it? He’s the one who absolutely had to talk to me.”

                “You didn’t have to go over there. Wait, you talked to him?”

                “So what? I’m not the one who went around telling him about my girlfriend! You didn’t want Voldemort’s attention to be brought to me to keep me safe, but you certainly didn’t mind putting Luna’s life in danger by mentioning her to Augustus.”

                “It’s not the same.”

                “It is for me.”

                “Fine, I admit I may have made a mistake telling him about her, but you still shouldn’t have gone to the Ministry.”

                “I decided to fight, dad. Just like you. I can’t just sit there and do nothing. I made my choice. You inspired me, risking your life all the time for the better good. I went with my friends, I played a part in this Battle and I helped. Can’t you just be proud of me for that?”

                “Of course, I’m proud of you. But as your dad, I wish you would’ve stayed safely on the sidelines, because I’m terrified I might lose you.”

                “Now you know how I feel all the time.”

                Adriana and her father exchanged a hug. Then, Severus took her in his arms and brought her back to her bed downstairs, so she could get the rest she deserved after the previous night. She fell asleep before they even reached the stairs.

                The next day, she sat by the lake with Luna, Draco and Theodore. Everyone knew now that Voldemort had returned. Through a letter Narcissa Malfoy had sent his son, both boys now knew what had happened at the Department of Mysteries and that their fathers had been sent to Azkaban. As soon as he saw Harry walk by, he stopped in the middle of his sentence to go meet him.

                "Potter! You sent my dad to Azkaban!"

                "That's odd, I thought Fudge did that after he found him down in the Department of Mysteries, but I must be confused."

                "You're not funny."

                "Your friends over there are laughing."

                "Adri, Theo! Which side are you on?"

                "Does me playing a very small part in sending your dad to Azkaban mean we should forget about all that kissing we did in the past few days? Though I have to say Voldemort tricked me into going to the Ministry and he's also responsible for sending your dad there, so he's the one you should be mad at that."

                "I hate when you try to be cute."

                "I'm not trying anything."

                "I guess with the dementors on You-Know-You's side, my dad will be out in no time."

                "I bet he'll be furious at me. I might as well do this."

                Harry leaned over and kissed Draco.

                "How did I end up the only single one in our group?" Theodore wondered. "I mean, everyone makes fun of Luna, most students are scared to go near you because of Snape and I'm way more handsome than Draco."

                "Sure, but when is the last time you spoke to any of the boys outside of Slytherin without me present? You're not gonna find a boyfriend among people you don't get along with or that are already taken."

                Adriana, Luna and Theodore enjoyed the nice weather outside all afternoon and were very happy to see McGonagall come back. Despite Adriana's talk to the Ravenclaws before Easter, Luna noticed several of her things were still missing when she was preparing her luggage to leave. They decided to look for them instead of going to the end-of-term feast. When they ran into Harry, who was clearly avoiding showing up in the Great Hall filled with all these happy people, Luna did a pretty good job comforting him after the loss of Sirius. Adriana admired her girlfriend's ability to do such a thing, she didn't know what to say to people like that.

                The next day, Adriana said goodbye to her friends as they climbed aboard the Hogwarts Express for the trip home. Draco was planning on announcing his relationship with Harry to Crabbe, Goyle and his other friends when they'd be close to King's Cross. This way they would have the entire summer to digest the news. Theodore felt uncertain going home to an empty house, not knowing how long it would stay this way until the Death Eaters caught at the Ministry escaped from Azkaban. Ginny invited Adriana and Luna over to the Burrow, mentioning it would be nice for there to be more girls around for once. Adriana truly hoped her father would let her go this time, after all, Mr and Mrs Weasley were part of the Order of the Phoenix. She gave one last long kiss to Luna and watched the train until it disappeared. She could now go back inside and read Augustus’ reply to the letter she sent him in Azkaban.


	11. The Half-Blood Prince : Love and Murder Plot

                Adriana, Ginny and Hermione were sitting on top of the hill behind the Burrow on an early July afternoon. Adriana had arrived only a few days before, after Severus and her received the visit of Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange at their house. They’d come to ask Severus to help Draco with something and Adriana’s dad ended up taking an Unbreakable Vow that he’d help as much as he could or do the task himself if he had to. Severus had of course sent his daughter to her room before all this, but she stayed behind the door and managed to overhear most of the conversation. As soon as both women had left, she asked her father what he had to help Draco do. Severus wasn’t surprised she’d listened.

                “You’ve been spending too much time with Potter and his friends.”

                “Maybe. So what does Draco need your help for?”

                And while her father did reveal the Dark Lord had given the boy the task to kill Dumbledore, he had her accept Ginny’s invitation the next day. Severus thought she’d better be with some of her friends, around two Order members, than here, asking him questions about how he could possibly keep an Unbreakable Vow to kill Dumbledore without Dumbledore actually dying. So there she was, thinking about all that on her own, while she tried to enjoy the summer with the Weasleys and Hermione.

                "Do you think Dumbledore ever had someone he loved? It's weird to think such a great wizard would spend his life alone."

                "Maybe that's why he managed to get so great, no distractions."

                "Love isn't a distraction. Look at Adri and Luna, they make each other better."

                "Adriana, why aren't you saying anything?"

                "My dad told me about that. But he wasn't supposed to and he made me promise not to tell anybody, so if I tell you, promise you'll keep it a secret?"

                "You and Snape are such bad secret keepers," Ginny remarked.

                "That is so untrue. We simply prioritize which secrets to keep and which not to. Now, do you want to know or not?"

                "Of course we do."

                "Ginny, you are such a gossip. Anyway, Dumbledore fell in love with another boy not long after he finished Hogwarts, but then some incident happened which caused his sister to die and they didn't talk again. That boy was the dark wizard Grindelwald. Dad told me this when I asked why it took so long for Dumbledore to go after him."

                "This is huge! But why did Dumbledore even tell Snape about that?"

                "Oh, he didn't tell me that."

                "Severus probably had trouble at some point about his past as a Death Eater. Maybe Dumbledore was trying to show him even the best wizards can have a dark past."

                "Sometimes, Hermione, I don't understand why you're in Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw. Talking of which, I really miss Luna."

                "Summer barely started. Please, stop mentioning it. This is what I hate about Fred and George having their own apartment now. I'm stuck here surrounded only by people who are in a relationship."

                "Ron and I aren't a couple," Hermione protested.

                "You certainly looked the part when we came downstairs this morning," Adriana argued.

                "You two spend an awful lot of time kissing for people who insist they're not in a relationship."

                “At least, we’re not annoying everybody like Fleur. Do you think she’ll notice we’re avoiding her out here?”

                “No, but we should probably go back anyway, it’ll be dinner time soon.”

                They went back to the Burrow where Ron, Mrs Weasley, Fleur Delacour, who was now engaged to Bill, the eldest Weasley child, and Tonks were waiting for them. The latter had lost her ability to change her appearance at will, still grieving the loss of her cousin. Remus stayed in his and Sirius’ bed in Grimmauld Place, which now belonged to him. Mrs Weasley and Adriana visited him every day to bring him food and try to comfort him. Harry joined them all at the Burrow later that week, prompting Ron and Hermione to stop kissing each other. Their booklists arrived the day after that. Adriana was made prefect for Slytherin House and Harry captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, which Ginny planned on trying out for. While they shopped in Diagon Alley, Adriana, Luna, who was back from a trip with her father, and Ginny tried to figure out which other kids in their year could be prefects. They saluted Draco when they saw him, before he disappeared in a dark corner to kiss Harry. Adriana really needed to talk to him about the mission Voldemort had given him, but she didn't get the chance. Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes was the most crowded store they visited. Jokes were even more popular since Voldemort’s return had been announced and the twins had also started selling protective items.

                Mrs Weasley insisted they all finished packing the night before leaving. They’d almost missed the train the year before and she wanted to avoid cutting it close again. Hermione was the first to finish and she joined the other girls in what used to be Fred and George’s room.

                “Are you done packing already, Ginny?”

                “I haven’t started yet, I got distracted.”

                “By what?”

                “These two, packing. They’re just grabbing stuff and throwing it in the closest trunk.”

                “But you’re in two different houses, with common rooms very far from each other, what are you going to do if you need something you put in the other one’s trunk?” Hermione asked as she turned toward the other girls.

                “We put the books and all we need for potions in my trunk. There’s also a bunch of uniforms. Everything else isn’t important,” Adriana simply replied.

                “But what if Luna needs her books or one of you runs out of uniforms of your house because you ended up with more of the other.”

                “I have at least twice as many uniforms as Luna. And Ravenclaws keep stealing her stuff, so she’s always borrowing mine anyway. This is actually better. This year, they won’t be able to hide her Muggle Studies book before class even starts.”

                “I can’t believe people are still so mean to you. Ravenclaws are supposed to be some of the most accepting of those who are different,” Ginny mentioned before leaving to pack her things.

                The next morning, they went to King's Cross in ministry cars. Once on platform 9¾, Hermione and Ron reminded Harry, and Adriana at the same time, they had to go to the prefects’ compartment. Adriana really would’ve preferred spending most of the trip with Luna and catching up with Theodore. In his last letter, he mentioned a boyfriend and she was really curious for him to tell her who it was. But she simply kissed her girlfriend, said goodbye to the others and followed Ron and Hermione, like the good student Dumbledore thought, or most likely hoped, she was.

                Adriana thought that at least Draco would also be in the compartment, as he was also a prefect, but he didn't show up. Something was up with him. He had seemed weird in Diagon Alley, but she'd let it go thinking it might only be because his father was in Azkaban and he was dating the boy who'd helped send him there. However, the fact he didn't fill his task as a prefect had her worried. The magnitude of his mission must’ve been weighing on him more than she’d thought. She saw him sitting in his compartment with his Slytherin friends, as she walked back with Ron and Hermione to find Luna and Harry. Theodore wasn't among them.

                It turned out he was sharing a compartment with Neville, Luna and Harry. Ginny wasn't with them; she had joined her other friends from her own year. Adriana and Luna never did the same because Ginny was the only fifth year they got along with. Just before lunch, a younger girl brought Adriana, Neville and Harry invitations to join professor Slughorn for a bite in his compartment.

                "First the prefects compartment, now this new professor's. I can't just sit here next to my girlfriend, can I?" Adriana complained.

                "Why is he inviting me?" Neville wondered before Harry grabbed both of their hands and pulled them forward.

                They weren't the only guests there. Adriana recognized Blaise Zabini, one of Draco's friends, who she exchanged a discreet hello with. Ginny was also there, the only other fifth year, and two seventh year students none of them knew. Everyone there was apparently related to famous people. Neville was the son of renowned Aurors who had been tortured into insanity and Harry was Harry. Ginny had gotten an invitation after Slughorn had seen her use magic and had been impressed. The professor had heard about Adriana being Snape's daughter and inheriting his talents for potions. It pleased him greatly as he would be taking over the class.

                "I taught your father, you know. He was a very gifted student. I heard you follow in his footsteps, already able to brew a wolfsbane potion, according to Dumbledore."

                "Yes, I got the opportunity to learn it the year dad had to prepare some every month for professor Lupin."

                "I have to say I am eager to see you in action in my class. I sincerely hope you won't hold a grudge against me taking your father's position."

                "Oh not at all. To the contrary, dad finally gets to teach the class he always wanted to."

                Harry and Neville shared an alarmed look that didn’t escape Adriana’s sight. Clearly they’d both hoped they would be rid of Severus by dropping potions that year. Though from what Adriana’s father had written her, Slughorn would accept Harry in his NEWT class with an E at his OWLs so Severus getting to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts like he’d always wanted actually allowed Harry to keep his ambition to become an Auror. He should be happy, it was a good thing. Though she did understand why Neville wouldn’t like this, Severus had always been really mean to him.

                Slughorn kept them until sunset, when he realized they were almost at Hogwarts and they all needed to change into their uniforms. As they walked back to their compartment, Harry decided to stop by Draco’s compartment, he’d missed his boyfriend during the summer. It was crowded; Crabbe and Goyle weren’t exactly small. Adriana, Neville and Ginny kept walking toward their own.

                Adriana's eyes met Draco's at the beginning of the feast and it was enough for him to understand she knew about his mission to kill Dumbledore. He avoided her the rest of the evening. She wouldn't have mentioned anything then anyway. There were way too many people around who could overhear. And Theodore was telling her about his summer, which she had longed to hear. He wouldn't give her any details in his letters, taking the pretext he didn't want to take the risk someone intercepted them. All she knew was that he'd stayed at a friend's house all summer and now had a boyfriend.

                "So I was sitting in the train with Luna, Nev, Hermione, the Weasleys and Potter. Everyone was talking about their plans for the summer and they looked at me, cause it was my turn. I mentioned how I had to go home to an empty house since my dad was sent to Azkaban after what happened at the Ministry. Thanks for inviting me by the way."

                "There was no time. And honestly I couldn't really see you come along to fight the only parent you have left."

                "I guess you're right, as always. Anyway, Nev suggested I stay at his place for the summer. He said there was an extra room at his grandma's house and it would be fun to have a friend around for once. So he asked her when we got off the train and she was so proud of his grandson for being nice enough to offer to take in the poor boy who was unfortunate enough to have a Death Eater as a father. She thought it was a great idea and accepted right away."

                "Aww, she pitied you."

                "Yeah, it felt weird and uncomfortable, but staying over there was actually great. Nev's grandma is pretty strict, but we still had a lot of fun. Then one thing led to another and by the end of summer, we were kissing in the yard and his grandma was forbidding us to be alone in a room with the door closed. But other than that she was totally okay with her grandson turning out to be bi."

                "I'm really happy for you. Now you can stop feeling like a third wheel every time you hang out with Luna and I."

                "You two aren't exactly a difficult couple to be around. Not like some who never stop kissing."

                "We're not really into public displays of affection."

                "Or you don't talk about things like how hard it is to find a place to have sex when you share a dorm with three other guys, like Dean and Seamus do, according to Nev."

                "Of course not, Luna's asexual."

                "Right, I keep forgetting."

                "I like the fact you don't spend time thinking about other people's sex lives either."

                They stopped their conversation to listen to Dumbledore's speech. One of the Headmaster's hand was now entirely black and he did nothing to explain how it died. Adriana and Theodore applauded warmly when he announced Severus would now be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. The Slytherins joined them, but the news wasn't met with as much enthusiasm by students of other houses. When Dumbledore announced the time for everyone to go to bed, Draco left so fast he almost knocked over a few of the first year students he was supposed to bring to the common room.

                Adriana joined Pansy and the other prefects in that task. They all introduced themselves to the new Slytherins who immediately made the connection between Adriana Snape and the professor Snape Dumbledore had mentioned. They asked her questions about him and the negative reaction other students had when learning about his new class the whole way to the dungeons. Adriana suddenly felt more grateful than ever that she belonged to one of the houses who weren't all the way up in the castle, far from the Great Hall.

                The next morning, Bezoar, the owl Augustus had given Adriana for her last birthday, arrived at the Ravenclaw table with a letter. The animal had looked for her at her own table first, but he eventually found her. Adriana was sure he'd get used to it and he looked like he enjoyed this more than spending all his time in the owlery like he'd done the previous year.

                "Who do you exchange letters with that's outside of Hogwarts?"

                Adriana was a little uncomfortable. She knew Luna wouldn't like this, but she didn't want to lie to her girlfriend.

                "I've been writing to Augustus. And he's been replying."

                "Since when?"

                "Since he went back to Azkaban."

                "You've been writing letters to a Death Eater for two months and you didn't tell me?"

                "If it can make you feel better, you're the first one I'm telling this to."

                "Your dad doesn't know? Now, I'm worried about you."

                "Why? It's not a big deal. I'm just getting to know my father."

                "But you had no interest in doing that before you ran into him at the Ministry and he tried to kill us."

                "He's actually the reason I came back unharmed."

                "Yeah, he helped you, but he would've killed all your friends without even blinking. He would've killed me."

                "But he didn't."

                "That's it, you clearly can't see how wrong this is. I'm bringing you to Snape."

                "Ooh, scary. I'm not scared of him. And he's been avoiding me anyway. You're only going to annoy him."

                "We'll see."

                Luna grabbed Adriana's hand and pulled her all the way from the Great Hall to Severus' office.

                "You know, professor Snape, your daughter has been exchanging letters with her father in Azkaban."

                "You think he cares? What I'm doing is harmless. I was worried of what my dad would think at first, but then he went and made an Unbreakable Vow to kill Dumbledore."

                "WHAT?"

                "ADRIANA!"

                Luna was shocked by Adriana's revelation and Severus was furious his daughter didn't keep this a secret.

                "You better not repeat this to anybody, miss Lovegood. And do not worry, Dumbledore knows about this, it's all part of a plan. Now, go back to the Great Hall, Filius is always prompt to give out schedules. We wouldn't want you to miss the distribution and be late."

                "I won't say anything. See you at lunch, Adri?"

                "Yeah."

                Severus waited until she was gone to say anything.

                "What were you thinking saying this in front of your girlfriend? And writing to Augustus in Azkaban? Do you have any idea of the repercussion it could have on us if someone noticed your owl flying between here and the prison?"

                "I just wanted to get to know him more. And there isn't much danger as long as they're all still in Azkaban."

                "I don't know what's been going on with you for the past year, but it has to stop. I have to go distribute schedules, but we will talk about it more later."

                "Oh, so does that mean you're not avoiding me anymore?"

                "Here's your schedule, now go. And try to be a little nicer to your other teachers."

                "Why wouldn't I be? None of them are set to kill the headmaster."

                "Adriana, that's enough."

                She left his office, feeling just a little guilty about the bad mood she put him in. His students wouldn't have it easy today. All of her teachers spent the beginning of their classes talking about the OWLs waiting for them at the end of the year. At dinner, Theodore made them sit at the Gryffindor table, which granted them looks from Draco who, despite having a boyfriend in that house, would never dare sit there. Theodore told them all about his first potion class with Slughorn.

                "Then, he had us prepare a Draught of Living Death and gave Harry some Felix Felicis for having brewed the best one."

                "Not being taught by my dad sure improved his skills a lot."

                "I never noticed before how distracting Malfoy is in class. Usually he talks mostly to Crabbe and Goyle, but they didn't do well enough in their OWLs to take potions at NEWT level."

                "Not surprising, if you ask me."

                "I can't wait for potions tomorrow. This Slughorn sounds nice," Luna said, as if the last part of the conversation never happened.

                "Can we talk about something other than potions? It's not a particularly interesting subject for the one among us who is finally free of it."

                Neville seized the moment of silence created by Luna to chime in. He still lacked the self-esteem necessary to simply join the conversation, which could be hard to do around Theodore and Adriana.

                "Of course, love. But I'm sorry to tell you, you're the only one of this little group who doesn't share this interest for potions."

                "How could I? Snape bullied me for five years in that class. He probably favoured all of you."

                "Not me, he mostly just ignores me. I tend not to follow his instructions and he'd rather let Adriana handle it rather than deal with me himself," Luna explained.

                They left the table as soon as they were done eating. The Gryffindors were less welcoming than any other house table they’d ever sat at. Maybe it was due to the rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor. After all, half their little group belonged to the green and silver. Adriana and Luna decided to pay a visit to the Headmaster that evening, so Theodore and Neville went to the library without them.

                Adriana refused to ask Severus for Dumbledore’s office password, so they had to sit in front of it, waiting for someone to let them in. Adriana had been there a few times before, mostly when she wasn’t a student yet, but Luna didn’t even know where it was. They didn’t have to wait very long. Dumbledore was still at dinner when they’d left the Great Hall.

                “What owes me the pleasure of your visit tonight?”

                “We need to talk to you about something,” Luna said, her eyes on Adriana just long enough for Dumbledore to figure out why they were there.

                “I see. Well, come in then.”

                Dumbledore said the password and they all climbed the stairs to his office. The Headmaster sat behind his desk and gestured toward the chairs on the other side. He waited until the girls had taken place in them to talk.

                “I take it your presence here has something to do with Severus?”

                “Adriana had a fight with him and she mentioned he made an Unbreakable Vow to kill you.”

                “And what did he reply to that?”

                Dumbledore was still as calm as usual, as though they were having some casual conversation and weren’t discussing his own death.

                “He said you knew about it and it’s all part of a plan.”

                “And now you’re wondering if he was telling the truth and, if so, what kind of insane plan would include something that is sure to end with either Severus or myself dying, is that right?”

                “Yes.”

                “What I’m about to tell you must absolutely stay between us, you can’t tell anyone else. Is that okay with you?”

                They promised to keep it a secret and Dumbledore continued.

                “You may have noticed my hand. I made a mistake last summer and got it hurt. It is unfortunately not only affecting my hand. The result of this is that I will be dead by the time you come back next September. Before you say anything, I am a very old man and men cannot live forever. The Unbreakable Vow wasn’t planned. To punish Lucius Malfoy for what happened at the Ministry, Voldemort gave Draco the task to assassinate me. I made Severus swear he wouldn’t let that happen and would kill me himself, to protect the boy’s soul. Then, Narcissa Malfoy visited him and asked for help. The Death Eaters don’t trust Severus as much as Voldemort do, he couldn’t refuse. He knew I wanted him to help Draco and take over the task, so he took the vow.”

                “Why would Voldemort and the Death Eaters trust professor Snape?”

                “Oh, Luna, I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you cause it’s a big secret and I didn’t want you to worry about me losing my dad the way I do. But my dad’s been pretending to be a Death Eater to spy on Voldemort for Dumbledore.”

                “You told me he was risking his life for his mission, but that’s beyond dangerous.”

              “Yes, Severus is a very brave man. His mission doesn’t scare him. He’s too busy worrying about having to take my life and, most of all, about his daughter.” Dumbledore’s piercing blue eyes rested on Adriana. “He told me about you writing to Augustus.”

                “You can spare me the lecture. It’s not going to change anything.”

                “I know your meeting with him at the Department of Mysteries must’ve affected you and I understand your desire to get to know the man who gave birth to you. I just want you to be careful about what information you give him. And be realistic about your expectations. He is a Death Eater, he will most likely stay one for the rest of his life. I don’t want you to get your hopes up that he might become a father to you like Severus has been all your life. I am simply afraid your feelings could get hurt.”

                “So you don’t want me to stop? You’re not worried someone might notice my owl flying back and forth between here and Azkaban, like my dad?”

                “Your owl doesn’t really stand out. And even if someone did, you aren’t the only student here with a parent who was recently sent to Azkaban.”

                Their conversation reassured Adriana and Luna greatly about the whole deal, though they were incredibly sad to learn about Dumbledore's inevitable demise. The Headmaster absented himself from the school quite a lot during the following days, most likely working on stuff for the Order, trying to do as much as possible during the time he had left. Adriana, Luna, Theodore and Neville spent most of their evenings in the library despite it being only the beginning of the year. There was a lot more homework in fifth year than in fourth, and it was nothing compared to the amount of work sixth years had.

                On the Saturday night two weeks after the beginning of term, Slughorn invited the students he referred to as the Slug Club to join him for dinner. Adriana wished he'd been impressed by Luna or disregarded Theodore's Death Eater father, but was relieved to learn Ginny and Neville were still invited as well as Harry who couldn't show because of a detention. Hermione was a new member which made their little group quite nice among the club. Adriana had gotten a bit closer to her over the summer. They still weren't the greatest friends, but they got along a lot better and had stopped getting on each other's nerves.

                The first Hogsmeade weekend was in October. They decided to make it a triple date: Adriana and Luna, Theodore and Neville, Draco and Harry. Then Neville invited Dean and Seamus, who shared in his dorm in Gryffindor and who they all knew from the D.A, or class in Draco's case. They refused the invitation as they wanted to go somewhere romantic. However, Harry didn't want to abandon Ron and Hermione so they came along. By this time, Harry was the only one who didn't know his two best friends had spent the first weeks of summer kissing each other every chance they got. Adriana had of course witnessed it, she'd told Luna and Theodore, he told Neville and Draco, and Neville told Dean and Seamus.

                Draco seemed pretty uncomfortable hanging around them instead of his usual gang of Slytherins. It didn't help that he had been avoiding Adriana, for fear of her talking to him about his mission. Ginny joined them later, accompanied by her new girlfriend, Katie Bell, who was a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, like Harry, Ron and Ginny, and had also been in the D.A. The whole group spent the morning and lunch at the Three Broomsticks. It was too cold outside to walk around town. Ron and Hermione kept showing signs of jealousy whenever the other showed interest in anyone, like when Lavender walked by and waved at Ron. Eventually, Draco simply got up, told Harry he had something to do and left.

                "That was weird," Ginny stated the obvious.

                "He's been pretty distant since September, I don't know what's wrong with him. I mean, sure his dad's in Azkaban, but he wasn't like this at the end of last year." Harry turned toward Adriana and Theodore. "You're in Slytherin, you spend a lot of time with him too, did he say anything?"

                "He's been avoiding me lately. He thinks I know something. But I don't," Adriana added as it looked like Harry was about to ask.

                "Blaise mentioned him talking about some kind of mission for You-Know-Who, but that was most likely simple bragging," Theodore said.

                "Don't worry too much, Harry. No matter what it is, he still loves you."

                Adriana and Luna both knew what was going on with Draco, but they'd sworn to Dumbledore not to repeat it to anyone. They all left a little later, they'd gotten bored just sitting there drinking butterbeer. Katie went to the bathroom before they went and came back with a strange package. She and Ginny argued over it half the way back until it tore open. Katie flew into the air for a few moments then fell on the others who were trying to get her down. She must've touched the contents of the package, a cursed necklace.

                Hagrid was in the area so he took Katie into his arms and brought her to the hospital wing, though she had to be transferred to St Mungo's the next day. Meanwhile, Adriana, Luna, Ginny, Theodore, Neville, Ron and Hermione described the events to McGonagall. Adriana and Luna mostly stayed silent, there was nothing the others didn't say and they were scared Draco might've been behind it. He was after all the one who had the mission to kill Dumbledore. That same night, Adriana found Draco sitting on one of the couches in the common room. She sat by him and put her hand on his chest to stop him when he tried to leave.

                "I know what Voldemort wants you to do and I know you're trying. But you have to be more careful. You almost killed a random student today. You have to be smarter about it. And I'm surprised no one's suspicious of you after you disappeared not that long before."

                "I'm doing the best I can. Have you ever tried killing one of the best wizards there is? I'm not even sure I want to do it. But after what happened at the Ministry, I don't have a choice. It's the only way to bring honour back to my family."

                "If you promise to make sure not to hurt anyone else again, I'll teach you occlumency. This way, if someone like Dumbledore or my dad suspects you, they won't be able to look into your mind and see the truth."

                "I promise. Why are you helping me though? Weren't you in that Dumbledore's Army thing last year?"

                "My dad said you wouldn't accept his help, or even meet with him, and asked me to talk to you, because neither of us want you to get yourself or someone else killed in the process."

                They started lessons the next day. It was hard finding time to practice occlumency between Draco’s Quidditch practices, Adriana’s Slug Club meetings and both of them having prefect duties and being in a relationship, but sharing the same common room helped a lot. It was nowhere as complicated as setting up D.A. meetings had been. When they couldn’t find time, they just went to bed later or skipped breakfast. Draco was making more progress than Harry ever did and Adriana was very proud of him.

                Meanwhile, Slughorn had informed the Club he would be hosting a Christmas celebration and they were all welcomed to bring a date. It led to the expected who-are-you-bringing conversations and the unavoidable drama of these kinds of situation. Luna was pleased to be invited to the event. Draco was a little uncomfortable wasting a whole evening on a party. Holidays were approaching and he still hadn’t made any progress on his plan to kill Dumbledore. He accepted Harry’s invitation simply because he didn’t want to hurt his boyfriend’s feelings and provoke a fight. Also, Severus kept trying to talk to him about what he was planning to do to complete his mission and Draco knew he wouldn’t do this in front of Harry. Adriana and Luna were having lunch at the Ravenclaw table with Ginny one day, when Harry joined them suddenly.

                “I think my best friends might like each other, romantically.”

                “What makes you say that?” Ginny asked.

                “Ron got mad over Slughorn’s party, they got into a fight and Hermione said she was planning on inviting him but didn’t want to anymore. And now they’re acting strange around each other, too polite.”

                "How do you feel about that?" Luna inquired.

                "I don't know. What if they go out together then break up and won't talk to each other anymore? Or what if they don't break up and become like Bill and Fleur and I become some kind of third wheel?"

                "But what if they get together, don't break up and just stay themselves only happier?"

                "That'd be great. And honestly, I can't say I'm surprised about this."

                After they'd discussed Slughorn's party for a while, they left the Great Hall in different directions before the bell rang afternoon classes. The first Quidditch match opposed Slytherin and Gryffindor. Draco had forfeited and Harper, the annoying boy who kept sitting next to Adriana in class whenever there was a free seat next to her, was playing in his place. He asked her if she'd cheer him on, but Luna made her lion hat roar and he ran away.

                "Looks like I'm not the only one in this relationship who can scare people."

                "He was hitting on my girlfriend, and I was simply giving him an answer to his question."

                "Pointing to the hat would've been an answer, the roar was marking your territory over me. I love you."

                They shared a kiss then went to watch Ginny play her first match as a chaser with great talent. In the following weeks, Hermione started hanging out with Adriana, Luna, Theodore, Neville and Ginny more. Ron had started going out with Lavender Brown and she couldn't stand seeing them together. So she often joined them in the kitchen. It seemed to cheer up Ginny, whose girlfriend was still at St Mungo's.

                The night of Slughorn's party came. Adriana opted for a simple black dress, but Luna preferred wearing a glittery silver one which looked really pretty on her. Ginny complimented them on their look when they arrived. She herself ended up spending the evening with Hermione, who regretted her choice to come with Cormac McLaggen, a seventh year Gryffindor who was also a member of the Slug Club.

                Adriana and Luna spent the first part of the evening with Harry and Draco, until the former started asking questions to his boyfriend about how incredibly tired he looked. Draco left and Harry seemed to try to follow. Severus showed up a few minutes later, took Adriana's hand and pulled her apart from the crowd.

                "You taught him occlumency?"

                "Who?"

                "Draco!"

                "I thought it would help him."

                "Help him hide his plan from me."

                "What was I supposed to do? At least this way I might gain his trust and get him to tell me what he's trying to do. He let me help him with that, if he keeps having trouble with his plan, maybe he'll ask for my help. Clearly you're not having any success with that."

                "Fine, I hope your plan works, otherwise you made it that much harder for Dumbledore and I to figure out what he's doing."

                "You asked me to help, remember? Well, I'm doing the best I can. And now I'm going back to enjoy the party with my girlfriend."

                "Adri, we're not done. We still haven't discussed you exchanging letters with Augustus."

                "There's nothing more to say about it, so goodnight."

                Adriana walked around for a while to calm herself before she found Luna, who was having a conversation with Ginny. As much as Adriana's best friend was Theodore and she often confided in him, Ginny was Luna's. Adriana didn't mean to spy on them, but when she heard her name and Luna's tone of worry, she froze.

                "She's been spending a lot of time with Draco and I'm afraid he might drag her down with him. Did you see him earlier with Harry? He didn't look well."

                "They're friends, she's probably just trying to help him. You have to trust her."

                "I know that, and I do. But it seems like she talks less to me and I'm afraid she'll become distant like him. I just wish we could go back to when things were simple and we were never arguing."

                "That's not how life is though, especially during a war. It has to be taking a toll on her. One of her fathers is a Death Eater in Azkaban, her best friends are in the same situation she is. Maybe she just needs to be around people who understand these days."

                "You're probably right. And she has been acting different since meeting Augustus last June. I always thought things would be alright in the end, that's how my mom taught me to see the world, but now, I'm always so afraid my girlfriend will leave me because I can't understand. And what if her dad gets killed while he's on a mission for the Order? That would break her."

                Adriana couldn't hear anymore of this. She had no idea how hard it was for Luna, being dragged in the middle of all this, knowing things she shouldn't know. Adriana felt bad about the worry she was causing her girlfriend so she thought the best thing to do was to let her enjoy the party with her other friends, like Ginny, who weren't related to Death Eaters. She simply left Slughorn's office and went to bed.

                She couldn't fall asleep right away. She kept thinking how selfish of her it was to involve Luna in all this wizarding war drama. Xenophilius wasn't in the Order and he mostly worked from home, she wouldn't have to be scared as much as she was if it wasn't for having a girlfriend stuck in the middle of everything. Adriana loved Luna so much, but she was starting to think it would be better, and safer, for the Ravenclaw if they broke up. The simple thought of it made her shed tears and she fell asleep torn between what she wanted, and needed, and what would be the right thing to do.


	12. Calm Before Storm, Sun After Rain

                The morning after Slughorn's party, Adriana practiced occlumency one last time with Draco before he left for Christmas break. Then, she sat in the Great Hall eating breakfast while watching everyone saying goodbye to their friends. She didn't feel like saying goodbye to hers, she was even hoping Luna wouldn't come by. She had received a letter from Remus that morning. He was still grieving Sirius, but had accepted an invitation to spend Christmas at the Weasleys and was hoping to see her there. She was waiting for Bezoar's return to write Remus the disappointing answer that she had to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays.

                "I wrote to my dad and I'm staying here for Christmas. He's a little disappointed, but he understands why I don't want to leave you alone. And he thinks Hogwarts is the safest place to be anyway. It'll be fun, won't it?"

                Luna announced as she sat across from Adriana.

                "Sure."

                "Where did you go last night? You didn't come back after your talk with your dad."

                "I didn't feel like a party anymore."

                "You could've said goodnight at least."

                "Fine. When I went back to you, I overheard part of your conversation with Ginny and I felt bad about putting you in this position and making you so worried. I thought you'd enjoy the party more without me."

                "How could you think that? Adri, please, stop pushing me away."

                "I'm not pushing you away. And if I were, it'd be for your own good."

                "You're not telling me anything anymore."

                "There isn't anything to tell. I go to classes, I help Draco, I exchange letters with Augustus, I spend time with you. What more is there?"

                "You help someone who was given the mission to kill Dumbledore, you exchange letters with a Death Eater and you and your dad aren't talking anymore. Surely you have some feelings you might need to share. And I'm here to listen."

                "I don't."

                "I can't believe that."

                "You believe in nargles and crumple-horned snorkacks, but not this?"

                "Adri, with everything that's going on, you have to be feeling something."

                "I'm not. Not anymore. There was so much, but now I'm just numb. Sometimes it feels like there's a dementor following me around. And I don't want to share my pain with you. You deserve better than this, better than me. You would be better off if I wasn't your girlfriend. But I don't think I could deal without you. I need you."

                "I'm not going anywhere. I don't mind taking a load off of you. All I want is to help you feel better. I have enough positivity for us both anyway. We'll get through this war together."

                Adriana gave Luna a small smile. What did she do to deserve such a wonderful girlfriend?

                "You're Ravenclaw and I'm Slytherin, an unbeatable duo."

                "Exactly. Theo invited us to feed the thestrals with him and Neville this morning, you feel up for it?"

                "I'm always in the mood to give food to these adorable yet morbid creatures."

                On Christmas morning, Adriana got up early to surprise Luna for their anniversary. She grabbed all the presents at the foot of both of their beds and put them under the tree in the Ravenclaw common room. With Voldemort back, even more students went home for the holidays to spend precious time with their families. Some kids threw annoyed looks at her on their way to the Great Hall, but she was used to it after all these times sneaking in there.

                "Who is that from?" Luna asked as they were unwrapping presents.

                "Um, yeah, I think that one's from Augustus. Look, it's wrapped the same as the book and the quill and ink set he got me."

                "How is he managing to buy gifts in Azkaban?"

                "Mail order? There was this one time when Bezoar was gone an unusually long time."

                "I thought being around dementors all the time made people lose sense of time."

               "I write the date on my letters. He also told me there are a lot less dementors over there than it used to. Open your gift, I want to know what he got you."

                "It's a book about those magical creatures almost no one believes in and a sneakoscope. Ironic gift from a Death Eater, don't you think?"

                "But practical. And the book seems nice."

                "It is. I don't know how he knew I would be interested in it though."

                "We talk about you sometimes."

                "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. Isn't it weird that Augustus sent me something?"

                "Why would it be? You're his daughter's girlfriend. Xenophilius sent me a present too."

                "I think what I meant is, isn't it weird that the one of your dads in Azkaban sent me a gift, but not the one who lives here in the castle?"

                "Dad's really busy with his mission, you know. Augustus' got a lot more time on his hands."

                "I still feel uncomfortable receiving a Christmas gift from him."

                "He was never sent to Azkaban for truly terrible stuff like murder or torture though. The first time was for passing Ministry secrets to Voldemort and the second for breaking into his old workplace. He didn't directly hurt anyone."

                "What about Ginny's broken ankle?"

                "That was nothing. Madam Pomfrey repaired it in no time. And it wasn't on purpose."

                "I wish you wouldn't defend Augustus like that. I get that he's your father and he never hurt anyone just for the thrill of it, but he's still a Death Eater. How can you pass by that?"

                "You don't understand what it's like. Your dad writes to you all the time and you can spend all your school vacations with him if you want. My dad is never around anymore. I spent the last two summers with the Weasleys. I spend all my holidays either with them or here. My dad won't let me spend them at your house, but he's too busy to be with me even when I'm in the castle. And when we do see each other, we almost always fight. We used to be so close, tell each other everything, and all of that is gone now. I feel like I'm losing my dad and I just need some kind of a relationship with my father, alright? Can you understand that?"

                "Why didn't you explain this to me earlier? I would've understood. I still don't like you defending a Death Eater, but I wouldn't have been as mad about the letters."

                "So if I stop defending him, you'll get on board with me writing to him? And you'll keep the gifts he sent you?"

                "You will also have to stop keeping things to yourself cause you don't want to burden me or you think I won't get it. I want you to tell me when you have stuff like that on your mind."

                "Deal. Now why don't we go down to have breakfast then see if we can beat Theo and Neville in a snowball fight?"

                "Does it have to be a competition? Can't we just do it for fun?"

                "What would be the fun of throwing snowballs if there isn't a winner?"

                Both couples spent most of their holiday break together. On New Year's Eve, Luna somehow convinced Severus to have dinner with them. The presence of Theodore and Neville somehow put the Snapes on their best behavior and they went a whole evening without fighting, simply enjoying themselves.

                As school resumed and weeks passed, Draco was growing more and more impatient. His plan, whatever it was, was taking longer than he'd thought. His lack of success gave hope to Adriana. Surely soon, he would realize he couldn't do this alone and ask for her help. Severus had offered on several occasions, but Draco was under the impression the professor was only seeking to steal his glory. Adriana, on the other hand, had only shown support and spent a growing amount of evenings sitting with him in the common room, listening to him while he confided in her. The more frustrated he got, the closer she felt he was to revealing his plan to her so she could help him. Draco knew she understood how important this mission was for his family and thought that meant she'd never do anything to jeopardize it or stop him. He was miserable, but his situation helped Severus gain confidence in his daughter's plan.

                Their reconciliation cheered up Adriana, though only a little. She was worried about her friend looking more tired and angry with every passing week, despite the positive effects it had on her life. She also couldn't forget that they only kept getting closer to the end of the year and that no matter what happened, Dumbledore's life would end. In February, it turned out Harry had noticed how much time she spent with his boyfriend. He joined her and Luna one of those rare times they were hanging out in the kitchen by themselves.

                "Draco's preparing something and he won't tell me anything about it. I'm really worried, he hasn't been looking well lately. He's clearly exhausted, but he won't say why. And I overheard him tell Crabbe whatever he's doing is taking more time than he thought. Do you know what he was talking about?"

                "No." Adriana wasn't entirely lying. She knew the goal Draco was trying to accomplish, but not the specifics of how he was planning to do it.

                "Really? Cause I've been observing him on the Marauder's Map, trying to figure it out and do you know what I've noticed? You are the person he is most often with. And you want to make me believe you have no idea where he goes that needs Crabbe and Goyle to be look-outs?"

                "You're the one with a map that shows where everybody is. I only know what Draco tells me, which is that he's losing patience because his plan isn't working out like he thought."

                "And what is the plan for?"

                "I don't know. He told me he had one, he never gave me any details about it."

                "You know, Harry, communication is very important in a relationship. You and Draco should really work on that." Luna suggested.

                Adriana couldn't stop herself from bursting into laughter. Harry shot an angry look at them and left. Luna smiled brighter, she hadn't seen her girlfriend this joyful in a long time. It didn't last. A few days later, Ron was poisoned with mead that Slughorn had meant to offer Dumbledore for Christmas.

                "Draco! You told me you'd make sure not to accidentally hurt anyone else!"

                "How was I supposed to know that idiot Slughorn would drink mead with students?"

                "No one who knows him would assume the gift would make it to Dumbledore. Of course, Slughorn would keep it for himself. I thought you said your plan was brilliant."

                "It is brilliant. But it's taking time and I thought there would be nothing wrong in making another attempt in the meanwhile."

                "Except the fact it failed again and Ron Weasley almost died."

                "But if it'd worked, I would've regained my family's honour and my dad would be out of Azkaban. Don't know why they all haven't escaped yet, I thought the Dark Lord was in control of the dementors now."

                "He is. But he's furious with them all for the failure at the Ministry so he's letting them rot for a while."

                "Snape told you that?"

                "Yeah. But Augustus told me it's not as bad over there as it used to be. There are a lot less dementors, just enough to keep them there."

                "So unfair that you get to exchange letters with your father and I don't."

                "You could try."

                "I was just saying. I don't actually want to do it. I'm in this mess because of him, because he couldn't complete a simple mission. But I'm not like him. I won't fail."

                "You will if you're not more careful."

                "I am careful. No one has any idea what I'm planning. Your dad keeps asking me. I'm being plenty cautious with my main plan. But it's exhausting, all this effort with no results."

                "You know, you can always ask for help if you're stuck."

                "I'm not stuck. Or at least I won't stay stuck very long, I'll figure it out soon, you'll see."

                "Fine, I was just offering. Tell me if you change your mind. I'll go spend some time with my girlfriend now, something you should consider doing too."

                "How am I supposed to be with Harry right now? He'll need comfort from seeing his best friend almost die and I'm responsible for it."

                "I don't know, but if you don't do something, you'll lose him. And after all that time wanting to be with him, I doubt that's what you want."

                "This mission came with such bad timing. I wish I didn't have to do this."

                "You don't."

                "Of course I do. Otherwise, the Dark Lord will kill me and my family. And do you know your dad took an Unbreakable Vow to complete the mission if I fail? One way or another, Dumbledore is dying before the end of the school year. Might as well be by my hand."

                "I guess you have to decide whether this mission is worth losing the one you love, because it might very well end that way."

                Adriana gave Draco a hug before she left. He was in an awful position and she wouldn't wish that on anyone. They were all only children, stuck in the middle of this war. And Severus hadn't talked to Dumbledore in days, it seemed they'd had some kind of a fight. It worried Adriana. A lot depended on them both.

                Luna somehow got the commentator job for the next Quidditch match that opposed Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. At first, McGonagall offered it to Adriana, who actually had more interest in Quidditch and had even tried out for the Slytherin team before. However, Adriana had a lot on her mind and doubted her ability to pay enough attention to the match to comment properly, she suggested Luna in her place. McGonagall seemed to regret the choice later on. Luna's commentary wasn't really focused on the match as much as you would usually expect, but Adriana really enjoyed it.

                Adriana spent most of her Easter break with Luna, Theodore and Neville. They studied a lot, hung out outside feeding thestrals, which was something Neville really enjoyed, and tried to cheer up Draco, but nothing worked. Adriana and Theodore always talked to him in the common room, hoping to distract him, but he only kept getting thinner and looking more tired.

                After Easter break, Theodore was getting really excited about the Apparition test that would take place two weeks later, he couldn't wait to get his permit. He would be the first one in their little group to get it, as Neville wouldn't be 17 yet, neither would Draco. In the meanwhile, brochures about careers had appeared on common room tables. Every student was given an appointment with their Head of House to talk about their future after Hogwarts, except Adriana.

                "Dad, how come I wasn't given an appointment to discuss career opportunities with you? I'm pretty sure I need it."

                Adriana asked Severus during lunch.

                "Yes, I meant to talk to you about that. Dumbledore thinks it would be better for you to get advice about this from someone who isn't your dad. And he's right. You should meet with another Head of House who wouldn't be as personally involved with you."

                "In that case, McGonagall's out. I did live with her for a little while and I go to her every time I need some kind of mother figure, you know, to talk about girl's stuff to an adult."

                "Yes, she did mention that. Professors Flitwick and Sprout are looking over their schedules, you should get news of an appointment with one of them tomorrow. Unless you have a preference, in which case I suggest telling them right now."

                "I don't, they are both teachers I love. I'm sure either one will make a great adviser."

                "Perfect. Now, can I ask what you want to do after Hogwarts? I'm your dad, I should get to know, don't I?"

                "Of course, you do. And I will tell you as soon as I figure it out."

                "So you don't know. Do you at least know what classes you want to pursue in NEWTs? What interests you the most?"

                "Don't worry, dad, I'll keep taking your class, and I'm not planning on giving up potions either."

                "Good. I'll tell Filius and Pomona you need that meeting soon."

                "Other students are in the same situation I am, you know. Not everyone can be like Luna. Everyone really needs these meetings."

                "But you are my daughter, I want to make sure you are set to make the right decisions about your future."

                "I will. Thanks for your concern though."

                Adriana was happy to be back on good terms with Severus, after all they would certainly need each other to get through whatever would go down before the end of the year. No matter how Dumbledore's demise happened, it would be hard on everyone. Two weeks later, Adriana got an appointment with professor Flitwick during potions class.

                "Welcome. I picked this moment to see you because I know you are doing really well in potions. I wouldn't take my Ravenclaws out of this class, but since I am free during this period, I thought it would be a perfect time for us to meet. You don't mind missing potions, do you?"

                "No, Luna will catch me up. And I can use a break from professor Slughorn marveling over my talents for his class."

                "Very well, then, let's get on to the purpose of this meeting. We are here today to discuss your career ideas and the classes you need to pursue next year to achieve it. So, what do you want to do when you leave Hogwarts?"

                "I don't know. I read some of these brochures in our common room, but I'm still uncertain."

                "It is a hard choice to make. And I know being around people who know what they want to do, like your girlfriend, makes it more stressful. I'm sure the war going on doesn't help either."

                "Yeah, I'm trying to think about the future, but I keep being reminded there might not be one. I love a lot of my classes, I just have trouble seeing myself in some kind of a career."

                "Of course you do, you are still so young. It's okay not to know yet, there is still time. You can either try for as many OWLs as you can to keep your options open, or focus on the classes you prefer and go from there."

                "I don't have to decide now?"

                "Oh no, we ask now to help you pick the classes you'll need to pursue for your NEWTs, but you can still take your time. Remember that most professors, myself included, will require at least an 'Exceeds Expectations' at your OWLs if you want to keep taking their classes."

                "I don't think it'll be a problem."

                "I don't think so either, I have your grades for all your classes here and if you keep it up, you could easily pick any of them for next year. I have to say I'm curious to know what you will decide about charms."

                "I love Charms too much to give it up, you won't get rid of me any time soon."

                "I am pleased to hear that. Now, before you go back to class, let me tell you my door is always open if you ever need more advice about this or anything else from someone other than Severus. You may not be a Ravenclaw, but I would've been proud to count you among my students. And I know you spend a lot of time in our common room."

                "Blame the eagle knocker who can't figure out a riddle to keep the Slytherin I am out of Ravenclaw tower."

                The following Monday, Adriana, Luna and Neville met at the Slytherin table after their classes to wait for Theodore who had his Apparition test that afternoon. Draco sat with them for a while and complained about what a waste of time his potions class had been.

                "Harry and I were alone with Ernie MacMillan, everyone else was at the test. And Slughorn just asked us to brew something fun. I could've done something more useful with my time."

                "But you used to love making potions, we brewed some for fun all the time before, remember? And it must've been nice to spend time with your boyfriend, for once. You really need to relax."

                "I don't need to relax, Adri, I just need to figure that thing out," Draco argued, quite irritated. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

                "But Theo isn't back yet. And it's still before dinner."

                Draco was already gone by the time she finished her sentence. Theodore arrived not long after, putting his arms in the air in triumph as soon as he saw them. They all ran to him and hugged him congratulations. They planned a special lunch for him and Hermione the next day, but ended up celebrating Katie Bell's return instead. Ginny was very happy to see her girlfriend all better. Hermione was also in a particularly good mood because Ron and Lavender had finally broken up. Harry was glad his Quidditch team was back to its full strength, but seemed disappointed not to see Draco there. Adriana wished she could do something to help, but her close relationship with Draco only made Harry feel worse about the distance growing between him and his boyfriend.

                This resentment reached a peak a few weeks later. Draco leaned against the sink in an empty bathroom, crying while Adriana rubbed his back, trying her best to comfort him, repeating she could help him. Everyone else had already gone down for dinner, so there was no one to wonder what she was doing in the boys' bathroom. Draco was telling her he was almost out of time and Voldemort would kill him when Harry came in.

                "How can you tell her what's going on with you, but not me? I'm your boyfriend!"

                "I didn't tell her anything."

                "Oh yeah? I bet she knows who you meant when you said 'he' was going to kill you."

                "She does, but I swear, I didn't tell her anything."

                "But you should have told me. If you're in danger or anything, you should tell me."

                "It's complicated, Harry. I want to tell you, I really hate keeping secrets from you, but I can't."

                "It has to do with Voldemort, doesn't it? He wants you to do something? And of course Adriana would know, I'm pretty sure her dad's a Death Eater."

                "It's not at all like this, Harry. I've been trying to help Draco all year, he won't let me. I don't even know what he's doing."

              "Oh, sure, that's all there is. Draco's only been getting more distant, but he's got closer to you, hasn't he? Are you trying to assure his future on Voldemort's side?"

                "I was in the D.A. I went to the Department of Mysteries with you."

                "Where you conveniently disappeared at the worst of the fight."

                "I was..."

                "Adri, don't. It'll only make it worse." Draco interrupted.

                "You're trying to protect her now? Against me? What's going on between you too?"

                "Nothing, Harry, please, listen to me."

                The fight degenerated. They were all stressed and tired. This war was taking a toll on them. Adriana was always worried for Severus, Draco had this mission given by Voldemort to punish his family for Lucius' mistakes and Harry, well, was the boy who lived. He wasn't only in the middle of everything with the burden of having Voldemort wanting to kill him, but he was also dating Draco. Neither of them were in a good state of mind at this point. The stress, worry and confusion had led them all to make bad decisions in the past few months. This, combined with repressed emotions finally being let out and the possession of magic wands, couldn't give good results.

                Draco sent the first curse. He yelled the word in anger, not really aiming anywhere, like he hadn't really meant it. They all reacted on instinct. Tired of words and arguments, which had taken too big a place in their recent lives, they let their magic speak for them. But they weren't running out of spells like you usually run out of words, the fight just kept on escalating until...

                "Sectumsempra!"

                As she heard the word come out of Harry's lips, Adriana knew he had no idea what this particular spell would do. She wondered for an instant where he could possibly have found it, then she hit the floor and all she could see were Harry and Draco's horrified faces as she felt her robes dampening from the blood coming out of dashes she was too in shock to feel. She heard them call for help and saw Severus arrive. He held her hand as he closed the wounds and carried her to the hospital wing right after.

                Severus left to deal with Draco and Harry while Madam Pomfrey used dittany on Adriana's wounds. The boys came by a little while later to apologize. Harry mentioned deserving the detentions he got until the end of the year, then they were thrown out. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't allow anyone else to visit and insisted Adriana got some rest.

                "Adri, please get out of bed. It's been days. You need to go back to class and prepare for OWLs."

                "I don't feel like it."

                "You know I could just force you up, right?"

                "Mr Nott, if you threaten my patient like this again, I will have to ask you to leave and not come back."

                "Sorry."

                "Miss Snape will leave when she's ready. I'm doing everything I can to help her."

                Adriana spent the next two weeks in the hospital wing, sleeping most of the day. Her wounds were healed and left practically no scars, but she simply couldn't get herself to leave. It was peaceful and safe there, it felt like nothing bad could happen as long as she stayed in this room.

                “That is enough, Adriana,” McGonagall said as she entered the hospital wing one morning. “I know it’s hard, and I know sometimes you just want all of it to stop, but you can’t hide in here forever. Life goes on without you and you are simply missing out on it. You are a strong young woman; I know you can get through this. Come with me and have lunch in the Great Hall. We’ll do it together, alright?”

                “I don’t- “

                “Oh, I wasn’t asking."

                McGonagall handed Adriana her robes and waited outside while she got dressed. Luna, Theodore, Neville and Severus were waiting for them at the Ravenclaw table. Most of their group was from either Slytherin or Gryffindor, but due to the rivalry between those two houses, Severus and Minerva preferred sitting at neither of these tables.

                The next couple of weeks were filled with studying. Adriana and Luna spent entire evenings in the library, in the yard or in the kitchen studying with Theodore and Neville. They worked on transfiguration with McGonagall in her office. Adriana, Luna and Theodore spent an entire Sunday brewing potions with Severus, Neville spent that day with Harry, Ron and Hermione. An evening on top of the astronomy tower meant as a time to revise making maps of what they saw in their telescope ended up being a making out session. It wasn't like they were planning on keeping that class after OWLs anyway. Adriana had read a lot of history books growing up so she quizzed Luna and Ginny on it. Like most students, they had trouble with that subject because of professor Binns' incredibly boring lectures. Neville helped them study Herbology, no one was as good as he was with plants. When the second week of June arrived, they were more than ready. They had theory in the mornings and practical OWLs in the afternoons. Adriana, Luna and Ginny were all satisfied with how it went.

                It was mid-June when Draco came into the common room one evening, looking much happier than he'd been in months. He had achieved what he'd been working on all year and could finally put his plan into action.

                "So, will you finally share what your brilliant plan is now?"

                "Oh, it is brilliant and when Dumbledore comes back, he will certainly be most impressed."

                "Dumbledore isn't here?"

                "No, he went out for a drink, but he'll come back when he sees the Dark Mark over the school. I have to go now, I have visitors on their way."

                "Wait, tell me who's coming."

                "Death Eaters, they'll be here any minute now."

                "But how?"

                "I fixed the Vanishing Cabinet the Weasley twins pushed Montague in last year. There's another one at Borgin and Burkes. The other Death Eaters will use it to get in the castle. Now, I really have to go."

                Adriana got up and grabbed Draco's hand as he walked away.

                "Think for a minute, Draco. You can't go through with this. You can't kill Dumbledore."

                "So all this time you proposed your help, you were lying?"

                "No, I wanted to help any way I could. Honestly, I never thought you'd get this far, you're not a murderer."

                "Maybe not, but I have to do this, it's the only way."

                "Draco, please."

                "Stay here if you don't want anything to do with it, but I have to go."

                Draco freed himself from her hold and left before she could stop him. Adriana immediately prevented Severus of what was about to happen. He ran up the stairs with her behind him. When they heard sounds of battle, he stopped and turned to her.

                "Stay here, or help your friends, but be careful, I don't want you to get hurt."

                "Will you...?"

                She couldn't get herself to even say the words. She knew Dumbledore didn't have long left, but the idea that her father could be the one to end his life was still impossible to swallow.

                "I don't think I'll have any choice. I told him I don't want to do this, but he's very stubborn about it."

                They hugged and Adriana watched Severus climb the stairs to the Astronomy tower before she joined Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix in the Battle. She was fighting alongside McGonagall, Lupin and Ron when Severus walked back through the Battle a few minutes later. She wanted to follow them, but her father told her to stay put and gave her a piece of paper with instructions for how to get in touch with him when all of this would be over. From the expression on Harry's face when he came running after them, Adriana knew Dumbledore was dead by now. Tears threatened to fill her eyes, but she held them back so she could see who she was sending curses to.

                After the Battle, they assembled in the hospital wing. Bill Weasley had been badly hurt by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback, but no one had died. Ginny was sent to get Harry. Adriana sat on a bed a little apart from everyone else, she knew once they learned what happened, they wouldn't be as friendly with her. Luna apparently saw in her eyes what was wrong, joined her and put her arms around her. When Ginny and Harry got back and announced Dumbledore's death, no one wanted to believe it. Lupin seemed to break down. Everyone turned to Adriana at the news that Severus had been the one to kill Dumbledore, but they didn't say anything. They looked unsure what to say and didn't have time to figure it out before Fawkes started singing his lament. The song was so beautiful and somehow soothed their pain.

                Later that night, Adriana entered the Headmaster's, or Headmistress' now, office. She avoided looking at Dumbledore's portrait, she couldn't stand that sight right now. He had planned this in advance and had enchanted his fireplace so that Adriana, and no one else, could use it to go back and forth between the castle and the house she used to spend her summers in. Severus was waiting for her there, alone and devastated. She helped treat the wounds he'd gotten from Buckbeak. They then cried in each other's arms.

                "Potter kept calling me a coward, he has no idea, no idea of all the sacrifices I did for him. I risk my life more than anyone pretending to be on Voldemort's side and no one appreciates it. And now I'll have to do it all alone. The Order will keep doing their thing and I'll be on my own. There's no way I can ever go back to them after what I just did. And they have no idea how much pain this is causing me."

                "You're not alone, I'm here. I know you didn't want this. I know Dumbledore insisted you'd be the one to do it."

                They both slept in Severus' bed and he sent her back to Hogwarts in the morning. Her appearance surprised McGonagall greatly and the new Headmistress was about to say something, maybe ask where she went, when Dumbledore's portrait stopped her.

                "Adriana left the castle with my permission, Minerva. Even after what Severus did, he is still her father and it is only normal she would need to talk to him. Can you imagine how upsetting it must be to learn that your own father killed the Headmaster of your school? But don't you worry, I took all the precautions to make this fireplace safe, no Death Eater could come through it."

                Dumbledore gave Adriana a comforting, apologizing look behind McGonagall's back. The funeral took place the next day. Harry still looked devastated. He witnessed everything, including the part his boyfriend played in it. He told Adriana that he believed Draco wouldn't have gone through with it, but he wished he would've said something, or at least sent him a letter or something since then. Draco had left without saying goodbye, without even looking at him as he ran away with Severus.

                The amount of people present at Dumbledore's funeral was impressing, but not at all surprising. He had been a great man, loved by everyone. Adriana separated from the Slytherin ranks to present her condolences to Aberforth. He was glad to see her and hoped she was holding on well since Severus committed this terrible act and disappeared. They exchanged a hug and took their seats, Aberforth in the first row, Adriana a little farther with Luna, Theodore and Neville, who still had trouble moving after getting hurt during the Battle.

                The ceremony started with the merpeople singing. Hagrid brought Dumbledore's wrapped body to a table in front of them all. A man in simple black robes made a speech. A white marble coffin appeared around the body. The centaurs threw arrows and it was over.

                Students left with the Hogwarts Express the next day. As usual, Adriana said goodbye to her friends at the station. Several others threw her angry looks. As hate for Severus had reached its highest, everyone's feelings for his daughter had gotten worse. Having friends and always being around them had made Adriana forget how much other students disliked her because of who her father was. However, now that he was responsible for Dumbledore's death, it was impossible to ignore. Luna was the last one to get aboard the train, after they kissed. Adriana watched them go and turned around. The sun was still shining brightly and it was a very warm day. McGonagall was waiting for her in front of Honeydukes, with cones of ice cream for each of them to eat while they walked home to her cottage.


	13. The Deathly Hallows : They Can't Win If You Don't Let Them Get You Down

                Adriana and Minerva were pleased to hear of Tonks and Lupin's wedding. It had been a long year for the werewolf, grieving for his fiancé, getting over him and opening his heart to someone else. They'd jumped into marriage fast, Adriana suspected it was related to the war going on. A lot of people did that sort of thing, afraid that one of them would die and they'd never get a chance to get married.

                Severus had recently been appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts and had moved into what used to be Dumbledore's office. The Order had taken Adriana in, to protect her after what Severus had done. Her father and herself had agreed it was better for her to let them take care of her, as they knew she had never expressed anything that could've made them think she was on Voldemort's side. It made sense for her then not to stay with her father who had killed Dumbledore. She had to pretend she didn't know it would happen, that it had taken her by surprise, and that she couldn't believe Severus could've done something like that.

                Adriana sneaked out of Minerva's cottage once a week, walked to the Shrieking Shack and used the secret passageway under it to get to the school grounds and visit Severus. She passed on every information she had to him and Dumbledore's portrait, though they somehow managed to get pretty far on their own. No one else knew they were still working together, no one knew Severus was still on the Order's side, and nothing pained Adriana more than having to keep up pretenses that she also believed he'd been lying to them all along and really still was a Death Eater.

                One morning in mid-July, Adriana and Minerva were having breakfast when an owl entered through the open window and left an official looking letter on the table between them before going back where it'd come from. The two women exchanged an excited look, this could only be one thing. Adriana opened it with shaking hands and read it out loud.

 

_Ordinary Wizarding Levels_

 

                Pass Grades:                                                                                                                                                 Fail Grades:

                Outstanding (O)                                                                                                                                                 Poor (P)

                Exceeds Expectations (E)                                                                                                                    Dreadful (D)

                Acceptable (A)                                                                                                                                                 Troll (T)

 

_Adriana Eileen Snape has achieved:_

                                Ancient Runes: O

                                Astronomy: E

                                Care of Magical Creatures: O

                                Charms: O

                                Defence Against the Dark Arts: O

                                Herbology: O

                                History of Magic: E

                                Potions: O

                                Transfiguration: O

 

                "9 OWLs, including an Outstanding in Transfiguration, I am really proud of you, Adriana."

                "I guess you'll be stuck with me in your class a few more years."

                "Let's go to Aberforth's and celebrate tonight."

                "My dad is really who I would want to celebrate with."

                "I know, but you can't live with him anymore. It's not safe after what he did. You don't want to be around Death Eaters all the time, do you?"

                "No, but I really miss him."

                Minerva took her in her arms. "We'll stay in then. I'll still get cake, grades that good need to be celebrated."

                The night Harry Potter was moved from the Dursleys' house to the Burrow, Adriana and Minerva spent the whole evening at the Hog's Head, driving Aberforth crazy by walking back and forth across the room. They finally received a patronus message from Lupin, indicating that Mad-Eye Moody had died, Mondingus Fletcher had disappeared and George had lost an ear, but otherwise everyone else made it back safe. They were relieved to hear that and drank to Moody's memory.

                A few days later, Minerva apparated at the Lovegoods's house with Adriana. She told the girl goodbye and went back home. Adriana was only 16 and couldn't apparate yet. She hadn't been invited to Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, but nothing was preventing Luna from bringing her as a date. Adriana didn't like this idea all that much, after all the Weasleys were clearly uncomfortable with the idea of being in her presence.

                "I am not wearing yellow, Luna. I don't like it and it'll attract too much attention to me. Not that my dad's eyes and hair colour on me won't do the same, but I'd like to limit this." Adriana stated as they were getting ready for the wedding.

                "But dad says we should wear sunny colours, to bring happiness."

                "How about that, when it's sunny, the sky is blue. If I wear blue, I'll stand out less and that's still kind of a sunny colour, right?"

                "You're right, it's perfect!"

                The Burrow was right on the other side of a hill from the Lovegoods house, allowing them to take a nice walk to get there. Adriana noticed Xenophilius was wearing some strange sign around his neck. When she asked about it, he told her about the Deathly Hallows, which were apparently an unbeatable wand, an invisibility cloak and a resurrection stone given by Death himself to three wizard brothers. Adriana had heard that story before, it was an old fairy tale her father read to her when she was little, but Xenophilius and his daughter believed they were real. They thought maybe Voldemort could be trying to find the wand and that's why Ollivander disappeared. Adriana agreed it could be possible and informed them about the problem Voldemort and Harry had because they possessed sister wands. When they arrived at the Burrow, Luna noticed gnomes in the yard and decided to stop and say hello while Xenophilius went ahead. Adriana followed her girlfriend, not wanting to remove her hand from Luna's.

                "Luna, I don't think we should be that close to them."

                "Why not? These are amazing creatures. Ow."

                "See what I told you, that thing bit you. Let me take a look at it."

                "It's fine, Adri. We should show it to dad, he'll be so happy."

                Adriana was used to Luna's weird beliefs, but she was always surprised to find out more. It turned out gnomes’ bites had the potential to give you new talents, that could be fun. Luna recognized Harry right away despite him using polyjuice to hide his identity. He didn't seem particularly happy that Adriana was there. Everyone kept telling her they didn't blame her for what Severus had done, but she still didn't feel welcomed among them anymore.

                "George, I'm so sorry about what happened to your ear."

                "Yeah, the list of bad things Severus Snape has done this year only grows."

                "My dad did this to you? Oh no, that's terrible. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

                "It's okay, you're not him, you can't control what he does. I heard you've been staying with McGonagall this summer."

                "After my dad flew the castle, there wasn't really anywhere for me to go."

                "I'm sorry, it must be hard on you. But I'm glad to see you could come."

                "Really? I wasn't invited."

                "Bill didn't invite you? Doesn't sound like him, mom or Fleur must've had something to do with it, but at least you made it anyway. Luna, how's it going?"

                "Wonderful. You?"

                "Perfect. I have to go, but you two look beautiful. Have fun today."

                Luna and Adriana took their seats. The ceremony started a few minutes later. Fleur looked absolutely beautiful. Adriana tried to pretend this whole thing didn't bring tears to her eyes, but she couldn't fool Luna who handed her a handkerchief as they got up. As soon as Bill and Fleur were pronounced husband and wife, the room was transformed in a nice reception hall. The chairs regrouped around tables, a dance floor appeared and the marquee walls disappeared to let everyone enjoy the view of the countryside around them.

                Luna found them a table while Adriana was getting them sandwiches and pumpkin juice. When she joined her girlfriend, Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting with her. Ginny came by too, she seemed to be doing well despite her recent break up with Katie. They didn't get to talk for long though, because a few seconds after Bill and Fleur opened the dance, Luna said she liked the song and pulled Adriana into a waltz.

                It was wonderful. They had so much fun dancing Adriana temporarily forgot what was going on with her father. She felt good here in this moment where nothing else mattered, like no one could get to her here and make her feel unwelcomed. She actually believed she could be happy eventually. This wouldn't last forever. One day, Voldemort would be gone and people would know what role Severus had played in all this, they'd forgive him and they could live a happy life.

                Adriana and Luna were still dancing when the lynx patronus appeared next to them on the dance floor. They froze, this could not be a good sign. The Minister for Magic was dead, the protection charms around the Burrow had been lifted and Death Eaters were on their way. Panic spread and several guests disapparated as Voldemort's men apparated among them. Adriana saw Hermione disapparate with Harry and Ron while Luna was pulling her through the crowd to try and find her father.

                Order members fought for a while, but in the end, the Death Eaters were able to start interrogating everyone about Harry Potter's whereabouts. Adriana was taken away from the Lovegoods by a man she'd never seen before. Adriana struggled against the man, but she couldn't free herself from his grasp. They apparated in front of a huge house. He pulled her inside and pushed her into a large room where a fire was burning in the chimney. There was only a tall pale man standing with his back to her. The Death Eater left.

                "Adriana Snape, how nice to finally meet you." Lord Voldemort said as he turned to face her.

                Adriana had heard of his frightening appearance, but seeing it in person was a completely different thing. His eyes were red and looked more snake-like than human. She had no idea what to say to him, what were you supposed to do in the presence of the most powerful dark wizard of your time?

                "Don't be afraid. My Death Eaters won't hurt your friends, they're simply looking for information. I had you brought here, because your fathers wanted you out of the way, just in case."

                "So, it's true then. There has been an evasion from Azkaban the Daily Prophet failed to mention."

                "Yes. And you have got to agree that it does give us the element of surprise."

                "Very convenient, indeed."

                "So, you were at Harry Potter's best friend's house, weren't you?"

                "The eldest Weasley was getting married and my girlfriend was invited."

                "I would assume Potter would be as well?"

                "I would too, but I didn't see him there."

                It was technically true, while she knew he was there and what appearance he had taken, she didn't actually see the dark haired boy with a lightning scar on his forehead. Adriana hoped that fact and her talents in Occlumency would be enough to satisfy Voldemort.

                "How unfortunate. Well, why don't I call the young Malfoy down? I hear you two are friends."

                "We are."

                Draco had barely entered the room that a big blonde man did as well. He seemed nervous as he announced to Voldemort that he and another Death Eater had failed in catching Harry Potter. They'd gotten to the place in London where the Dark Lord's name had been pronounced, but couldn't find him. They woke up sitting at a table in a coffee shop, unable to remember how they got there.

                "How did you know someone said Voldemort?" Adriana asked, slightly confused and not really thinking about who she was addressing like this.

                "We put a taboo on the word. Potter and his friends took Dumbledore's habit of saying my name, as did you apparently, and this way we can find them whenever they do."

                "Clever."

                "Yes. Now, Draco, do the honours and punish Rowle for me, will you? He is, after all, the reason I came all the way here tonight. And he didn't even make it worth the trip. I was busy, you know?"

                Voldemort was furious and he let Rowle know. He then threatened Draco and his family so he'd torture the Death Eater. Adriana knew she couldn't turn away, but watching her friend use the Cruciatus curse on someone was one of the most painful things she ever had to watch. After it was done, Voldemort left, and Rowle simply remained curled up on the floor.

                "So, this is Malfoy Manor."

                "Yes," Draco's voice was weaker than usual and Adriana could sense his discomfort in it. "Would you mind if we went in some other room? Mine, maybe?"

                "Sure, why not? One of those lovely Death Eaters just dumped me here, so it's not like I have anywhere to go anyway."

                "You're worried about Luna?"

                "Of course. My fathers had me taken out of the way, that doesn't exactly transpire of safety for those who stayed there."

                "Rookwood was sent with them, you can ask him about her when he comes back."

                "My father is over there now? I don't know if I should be hoping he remembers meeting her. Would he go easy on her if he did?"

                "Maybe, he seems to really care about you."

                "That's not exactly a relief, that's kind of how I ended up here."

                "You won't like this, but I'm actually glad you did. I've been stuck here with my parents, my aunt Bellatrix and all those Death Eaters for weeks. It's nice to actually have a friend here."

                "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be complaining that much, I've had it pretty easy compared to you."

                "Can we please not talk about it?"

                "Sure, how far is your room anyway? Feels like we've been walking through this house for a long time."

                "We're almost there."

                Draco's bedroom was classically furnished. The Slytherin colours were featured prominently around the room. Several pictures of him and their house's Quidditch team were hung on the walls. There were also a few of him with friends.

                "Oh, is that you and Theo? You look so cute." Adriana asked as she pointed at one of the pictures.

                "Yeah, I think that was taken at his sixth birthday."

                "So nice that you have childhood friends like that. My oldest friends are Fred and George Weasley and I was already 8 when we met."

                "I always wondered how that friendship happened. Out of all the kids in the castle, how did you end up becoming friends with them? How did you meet?"

                "One day, during their first year, they found the kitchen and I was there. They were the first students I saw coming into that room who weren't from Hufflepuff."

                "But you don't hang out with a lot of Hufflepuffs."

                "No, they're really nice and everything, but I find them kind of annoying."

                "Me too. Especially that Ernie Macmillan guy, I just can't stand him."

                "He takes his role of prefect very seriously. It's such a relief to know he won't be Head Boy."

                "How do you know? They haven't sent the letters yet."

                "I've been sneaking out of McGonagall's to visit my dad at Hogwarts. You know he's been made Headmaster, right?"

                "I heard, I'm surprised McGonagall didn't get it."

                "I guess Voldemort's influence at the Ministry even before it fell had something to do with it."

                "Oh, I guess you're right."

                "Anyway, he made the decisions for prefects and Head Boy and Girl last week. He gave Head Boy to Theo and Head Girl to Pansy. He considered giving Head Girl to Padma Patil, but didn't because she was a D.A. member."

                "So was Theo."

                "But he's a Slytherin, affiliated with several Death Eater kids."

                "True. It's getting late, I'll show you one of the guest rooms where you can stay."

                "One of the guest rooms? How many are there?"

                "A lot."

                They walked back out of this room, passed an open door Draco designated as where Rookwood was staying and stopped at simply decorated room, off-white with black furniture and some green details all around. It seemed the entire house was made to reflect their proud rich Slytherin lineage. As soon as Draco went to bed, Adriana went back to wait for Augustus in his room. He was quite surprised, but pleased to see her.

                "I thought you would've gone to sleep by now."

                "Without knowing if my girlfriend made it out alright?"

                "She did. Luna and her father left unharmed. We didn't kill anyone, we simply asked for information."

                "Death Eaters don't exactly have a reputation for asking nicely."

                "That's right, we don't. But I assure you, Narcissa was very polite when she went to get your things at McGonagall's earlier."

                Augustus pulled her trunk from a corner of the room.

                "Oh, so I guess that means I'm staying here."

                "Don't you think it will be nice to spend time together you and I? Severus comes by regularly and, to be honest, that Malfoy kid could really use a friend around."

                "Summer at Voldemort's headquarters, sounds fun."

                "Watch your sarcasm. And stop using that name, you're only triggering the taboo uselessly."

                "Fine, I'll try not to pronounce _his_ name, but I can't make any promises about the sarcasm though."

                "That's a start. Since you're still up, tell me, did you receive your OWL results yet?"

                "I got 7 Outstanding and 2 Exceeds Expectations."

                "Congratulations, I am so proud of you."

                Augustus put his arms around her briefly.

                "We aren't at the hugging stage of our relationship yet, are we?"

                "Not exactly. I'm also not ready to call you anything other than Augustus yet either."

                "It's fine, we'll work on it. Good night, Adriana."

                "Goodnight, Augustus."

                Living at Malfoy Manor wasn't as bad as Adriana had first thought. Voldemort was barely ever there, mostly showing up for meetings no more than once a week. Adriana was the only resident of the house not allowed to assist to these meetings. Most Death Eaters were also too busy elsewhere to stay, leaving Adriana alone with Draco and his parents. Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband and Augustus also lived there, but were gone all day. Rodolphus almost always came back late in the evening, while Bellatrix and Augustus arrived in time for dinner. In a residence that big, it was easy for Adriana and Draco to disappear if they wanted time alone, without risking being disturbed by Death Eaters. Adriana spent her days walking outside with Draco, playing wizard chess with Augustus or having tea with Severus.

                The evening of August 31st, both families had dinner together. The Lestranges were busy elsewhere that night, leaving the three Malfoys, both Snapes and Rookwood alone in the Manor. It was the closest thing to a family gathering Adriana had ever gotten. They mostly talked about the upcoming school year, with the changes coming to Hogwarts. Adriana was asked about the classes she would keep and the ones she'd give up now that she was at NEWTs level and Draco was questioned about whether he was excited to be starting his last year. Adriana was glad she'd gotten to know her second father better. He was a smart man, charming and outgoing, there was just this small detail that he'd decided to join the ranks of the Death Eaters that still bothered her, but otherwise she quite liked him.

                Adriana and Draco packed their trunks in the morning, something they should've done earlier, but it was easy to get distracted when you live in Voldemort's headquarters. Late in the afternoon, they said goodbye to Lucius, Narcissa and Augustus and left for Hogwarts through the floo network. The Manor had been disconnected from it like most other homes when the Ministry was overthrown, Voldemort didn't want people to be able to circulate in and out of the headquarters that easily, but they'd reinstated a special connection for that day. Adriana and Draco appeared in the headmaster's office's fireplace. Severus welcomed them back and they all went down to the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast. As she sat at the Slytherin table, Adriana could feel hostile stares from students mainly of other houses, both on her and Severus.

                The next morning, Adriana had to wait after breakfast for Slughorn, the new Head of Slytherin house, to distribute schedules. It was a longer process for sixth years because he had to verify if they met requirements for classes they chose. Adriana decided to pursue Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Ancient Runes and Defence Against the Dark Arts for her NEWTs. The latter was now mandatory and renamed simply Dark Arts. She had considered keeping Care of Magical Creatures, but dropped it when she learned Muggle Studies had become mandatory as well. Luna never had Ancient Runes and kept Care of Magical Creatures, but otherwise had the same classes as Adriana.

                Several classes were given to all houses together due to a low amount of students at this level. This allowed Adriana, Luna and Ginny to be all three of them together in class for once. Potions had the smallest groups for NEWTs. Both the sixth and seventh year groups were composed of eight students. Theodore said they'd been twelve the previous year, but one of the Ravenclaws couldn't come back because she was a muggleborn and Harry Potter and his friends hadn't been heard of since Bill and Fleur's wedding. The group of sixth years was composed of Adriana and one other Slytherin, Luna and two other Ravenclaws, Colin Creevey and another Gryffindor, and one Hufflepuff.

                Wherever she went, Adriana could feel the animosity other students felt towards her. The school had become very different without Dumbledore. Muggle Studies class taught them about the stupidity of Muggles. Punishments had gotten painful and cruel. For example, Dark Arts class had students practice the Cruciatus curse on those who'd gotten detention. Severus having killed Dumbledore, everyone blamed him for this change and decided to take it out on his daughter. She was, after all, an easier target. Luna, Theodore, Neville and Ginny joined Adriana at the Ravenclaw table for lunch the second Monday back.

                "Adri, you should've kept Care of Magical Creatures. There were baby unicorns born this summer and Hagrid's making us take care of them." Luna said as she sat down next to her.

                "How have you beaten us here?" Theodore asked, prompting the others to wonder how she could've gotten down from Ancient Runes class faster than they walked back inside from the greenhouses and the edge of the forest.

                "Yeah, and I thought you didn't want to sit anywhere other than Slytherin table because everyone hates you." Ginny added.

                "This table was closer to the door. And I did not beat you here, I've been waiting for one of you to come back since the end of breakfast."

                "You didn't go to your class?" Neville asked.

                "I couldn't. I couldn't climb the stairs."

                "Why?"

                "Remember that time Gilderoy Lockhart tried to fix Potter's arm and ended up making the bones in it disappear? Well, Colin Creevey was standing right there and he remembered that spell all these years."

                "What?"

                "He stopped me when I was leaving the Great Hall after breakfast. There wasn't many people left here because class had already started, all the teachers were gone. But he had a free period too, so he pretended he had a question about the last potions class. Then, he jinxed me. I have no bones in my left leg. I couldn't hop to the hospital wing, I kept tripping on it cause you can't fold your knee without bones. It's just dead weight. I just came here to the closest table."

                "So you've just been sitting here all morning?" Luna asked, concerned.

                "Like I said, I was waiting for one of you to help me get to the hospital wing."

                "Oh, of course. Put your arms around my neck, I'll carry you." Theodore put one of his arms in her back and the other under her knees. "Your left leg does feel weird."

                Madam Pomfrey gave Adriana Skele-Gro potion, which tasted absolutely disgusting.

                "Leg bones are the worst to make grow back. You're in for a lot of pain, I'm afraid."

                Adriana's friends left to let her get some rest before the potion started having an effect. Before they went, she gave them the password to the Headmaster's office, so they could steal the sword of Gryffindor while he would inevitably visit her. Dumbledore had left it to Harry in his will and they were sure it meant he needed it. As planned, Severus came by late in the afternoon.

                "Tell me who did this."

                "No. I don't like the way people are punished here now and I won't contribute to more kids suffering."

                "So, you are simply going to let other students hurt you for what I did?"

                "Of course not. I didn't expect something like this. I'll be more careful from now on, ready to use the Shield Charm if I need to."

                "I can't believe they would attack you. I'm the one who killed Dumbledore, not you."

                "But they can't exactly go around attacking the Headmaster of a school run by Death Eaters. Everyone knows you're _his_ favourite now."

                "So they attack my daughter instead and make me furious at them all?"

                "Dad, there's no point in being so angry, I'll be fine. This hurts like hell, but Madam Pomfrey said I'll be back on my feet tomorrow already."

                "It's not just that. There's something Potter needs for whatever he's doing, Dumbledore won't give me the details, but I can't give it to him because he's impossible to find. I have no idea where he is."

                "If _he_ can't find him, and that can't happen, how are you supposed to do better?"

                "They took Phineas Nigellus Black's second portrait with them when they left Grimmauld Place. I have him on a mission to try to figure out where they are. If only I had known they were at that house."

                "They're three teenagers hiding from everybody. That's a very stressful situation, I'm sure they'll slip up eventually and Phineas will be able to get you a location."

                “You’re probably right.”

                They both stayed silent for a short moment and then, “Someone’s trying to steal Gryffindor’s sword. Or actually the copy exposed in my office.”

                “How do you know… Wait, it’s a fake?”

                “I put a charm on the glass so I’d know immediately if anyone broke it. I have to go. And later we’ll talk about how suspiciously alarmed you sound to learn the sword isn’t real.”

                Severus left in a hurry and Adriana wished her friends would make it out on time. She couldn’t believe none of them had thought of the possibility that he would’ve switched it with a copy. Unfortunately, Severus got to his office just as Ginny, Luna, Neville and Theodore were walking down the stairs. He took back the sword and gave them detention for the following evening. While they all went to do some work in the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid, Adriana was getting out of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had lent her a cane, because she had to get used to her new bones before she could walk normally again. Draco met her there to help her down all those stairs.

                “Why are there so many bloody stairs in this school? And why is our common room so far from the hospital wing?”

                “I see the pain made you irritable.”

                “Not the pain, the fact I can’t walk without the assistance of a bloody stick and I have to go across the school down hundreds of stairs while being exposed to people jinxing me again. That’s annoyance, not pain.”

                “Are you scared of other kids now? You’re Adriana Snape, daughter of Severus Snape and Augustus Rookwood. Your dad is Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Dark Lord’s favourite. You spent half the summer living at _his_ headquarters. People should be afraid of you.”

                “You’re right. I have a pretty good position in this war. I shouldn’t be afraid of the fact almost every single student in this school hates me. My family’s really powerful right now. Like yours used to be. Maybe you can teach me to be intimidating, like you were before.”

                “I am still intimidating. I’m a Death Eater, I took my father’s place in the Dark Lord’s ranks. I’ll help you. And together, we can rule this school.”

                They didn't really want to rule the school by showing how intimidating they were. Their only goal here was to keep people away from them, two people who were close to Dumbledore's murder, and find a little bit of happiness in these dark times. Which is why Draco decided to stay on the Quidditch team and Adriana tried out. She might have still required a cane to walk at that time, but she could fly just as well. She got in this time and would be the new keeper. She was nervous at the idea that her first match in November would be against Gryffindor. She knew Ginny, who had been named captain, was a great chaser. Adriana still did really well and even if Gryffindor marked more goals, Slytherin won. The seeker who had replaced Harry wasn't as good and Draco caught the snitch first.

                They celebrated the victory in the Slytherin common room with the rest of team. Everyone was sad they couldn't get butterbeer for this because all the passageways leading to Hogsmeade had been blocked. But Adriana was pretty good friends with some free elves who worked in the kitchen. Dobby and Winky had no trouble getting outside and bringing her back butterbeers for everyone. They stayed up until late in the night. Adriana never had that much fun with all those Slytherin kids. She didn't know Gregory Goyle could be funny, or that Blaise Zabini, though incredibly pretentious, could actually have an interesting conversation.

                One afternoon after the end of classes in late November, Adriana was attacked again. She had of course been jinxed, called names and other things all this time, but this was the first major incident since Colin Creevey disappeared all the bones in her leg. Someone she couldn't see used Tarantallegra on her as she was on top of the stairs leading to the Entrance Hall, causing her to fall down them when her legs started dancing uncontrollably. Theodore ran down to her.

                "Finite Incantatem."

                Theodore picked Adriana up as soon as she became still. He started towards the stairs, intending to bring her to the hospital wing.

                "No, let's go to our common room. I still have bones, we can take care of this ourselves. Besides, we'll cross too many people on the way there and back."

                "I really think we should go to Madam Pomfrey, she'll know how to heal you better than we do."

                "I don't want to go up there, Theo, please. Slytherin common room is the only safe place."

                "Alright."

                He carried her to the common room and put her down on the couch. Then he went to get some of his books to make sure he was using the right spells to heal her.

                "What happened? Are you okay?" Luna exclaimed as she entered the room and saw her girlfriend all bruised and weak looking.

                "How did you get in here?"

                "Theodore sent his patronus with the password and a message to meet you both here. Other girls washing their hands next to me freaked out when they saw that silver bat. He really improved his technique on this."

                "I have happier thoughts to use now."

                "Why did you tell her to come? I don't want her to see me like this." Adriana interrupted.

                "She's your girlfriend. She should know you're hurt."

                "But this is the Slytherin common room, she isn't even supposed to be here."

                "You come into Ravenclaw tower all the time! It hurts seeing you like this, but I can help Theo heal you. If you won't go to Madam Pomfrey, you need both of us."

                "I can do it myself."

                "You sprained your arm, and you keep saying you can't aim as well with the other. It would be too dangerous. Let us take care of you." Theodore insisted.

                Together, Theodore and Luna managed to heal most of Adriana's injuries. They thought it'd be better if she didn't move much yet, since their healing spells weren't perfect and she was still in a bit of pain. Both girls spent the night cuddled up on the couch. Adriana woke up early in the morning.

                "There's hair in my mouth. I hate when it’s my turn to be the big spoon."

                "Yours or mine?" Luna asked with a sleepy voice.

                "How would I know, we both have too much."

                "Well then, I'll help you up and you can put breakfast in your mouth instead of our hair."

                "Let's go in the kitchen though, not the Great Hall. And send your patronus to invite Neville and Ginny. Since none of you are allowed to visit Hogsmeade anymore and I'm still too weak to go, we can all hang out in the kitchen like good old times today."

                "Great idea."

                Theodore and Draco decided to stay with them. The former didn't feel like visiting the village since his boyfriend was forbidden to go and the latter had become practically inseparable from Adriana. The kitchen was a great place, because no one ever bothered them there and as long as they were all hanging out together down there, Luna, Ginny and Neville couldn't be getting into trouble with the revived D.A. Adriana and Theodore hadn't joined back the group. Their status as Death Eater children made them privileged. They had it way easier than everyone else and since Severus had killed Dumbledore, most D.A. members weren't inclined to welcome the two Slytherins back into the group. Adriana and Theodore spent a lot of time in their common room worrying that their partners would get caught by the Carrows while doing some kind of rebellious act.

                "It's hard being the only one at Hogwarts. My brothers are all out there and they can't all send me letters to tell me how they're doing. I worry about them so much, you know?"

                Ginny looked up at the others, expecting something like understanding from them, but they weren't at all in the same situation she was.

                "We don't know," Neville started. "We're all only children, we don't have any siblings to worry about."

                "Yeah, plus Nev's grandmother can take care of herself no problem and I don't really care about my dad. He wanted to work for You-Know-Who, he can suffer the consequences." Theodore added.

                "If the Dark Lord intended to kill my parents, he would've done so already, but he'd rather treat them poorly and threaten me. So I don't exactly have anyone to worry about either." Draco took a short pause. "Except maybe Harry, but even if he somehow manages to survive this, I don't think he'd ever forgive me."

                "I just met my father, who's nice but still a Death Eater, and not at risk as much as my dad used to be. And my dad's here safe in his office most of the time and he's _his_ favourite anyway." Adriana was actually relieved not to have to worry quite as much this year as before.

                "I understand you, Ginny. I may not have any siblings, but every time a new edition of The Quibbler comes out with information the Daily Prophet left out, or articles explaining why everyone should support Harry, I can't help but fear the Death Eaters will pay my dad a visit."

                They shared a group hug then moved on to compare the injuries each of them had gotten so far this year. Neville and Adriana were the ones who'd gotten the worst of it. Neville had apparently replaced Harry as the official face of the rebellion and Adriana was the target for all the anger people felt toward Severus. Ginny and Luna had gotten quite their share of harm as well. Theodore and Draco had only been submitted to a few detentions where other students had to practice the Cruciatus curse on them, because they tended to be insolent and protest the Carrows in class. Adriana was the only one who hadn't been sent to be guinea pig in Dark Arts class, because she was the Headmaster's daughter.

                During breakfast, the morning students were leaving for Christmas break, Severus stopped by the Slytherin table to tell Adriana and Draco they weren't going home by train and should instead join him in his office in the afternoon. When they asked why, he avoided the question, which only arose suspicion.

                "That's odd," Luna said. "Draco always takes the train to go back to Malfoy Manor, why not this time?"

                "I know, I have a bad feeling about this too. You, Theo, Neville and Ginny should stay together the whole way, just in case." Adriana suggested. "With Xenophilius printing stuff about being on Harry's side and Neville leading the rebellion, you aren't safe. And Ginny either. They could discover that Ron's been helping Harry and Hermione any time."

                "I'll do my best to protect them. After all, that's what I've been doing for you all year." Theodore assured.

                They all exchanged their goodbyes in the Entrance Hall, because only students taking the train were allowed to leave the castle that year. Adriana and Draco spent the rest of the morning playing wizard chess in the common room. They were just about to go back to the Great Hall for lunch when a silver bat flew in. The patronus stopped right in front of them and announced, in Theodore's familiar voice, that Death Eaters had just infiltrated the Hogwarts Express and taken Luna, despite all their best efforts to stop them. Adriana was too angry to say a single word. She simply stood and ran out of the room, Draco behind her. She burst in Severus' office and started yelling at him.

              "Did you know they would take Luna? DID YOU? Is that why you asked us to stay behind? So I wouldn't get in the way and risk getting hurt? THEY TOOK MY GIRLFRIEND, DAD. AND YOU JUST LET THEM DO IT."

                "I really didn't have much of a choice in the matter. I paid a visit to Xenophilius myself a few weeks ago to warn him they might try something like this if he kept publishing these things in The Quibbler. He didn't listen to me."

                "So we're all just supposed to stay quiet and let Death Eaters walk right over us? We have to do something. And I would think that having two fathers-in-law among them would've prevented Luna from getting hurt, but apparently neither of you cares."

                "We do care, Adri, and no harm will be done to her. I promise. All they will do is lock her up in Azkaban until Xenophilius complies."

                "In Azkaban? With all those dementors? You can't let them do that."

                "There's nothing more I can do. I wish there was, but I already did everything I could. I have to work now and you two have to go to Malfoy Manor. If you're not done talking about this, you can continue this conversation with your father."

                "But dad."

                "No, I've said everything I have to say on this. Draco, take her home."

             Adriana's eyes locked with Dumbledore's portrait's compassionate ones as Draco was pulling her to the fire. She knew the previous Headmaster would have a discussion about this with Severus as soon as they were gone.


	14. Fight Like Never Before

                Malfoy Manor had been decorated in its entirety for the holidays and, for days before Christmas, wonderful smells emanated from the kitchen. Augustus and Narcissa cooked incessantly, Severus helping whenever he could. They were very excited to get their families together to celebrate, and with Voldemort being away, it could be a nice little break from all that was going on in the wizarding world. Or at least, that's what the adults had thought before their teenagers came home.

                Adriana and Augustus spent the entire first evening arguing. Draco, Narcissa, Bellatrix and Lucius took turns trying to put a stop to it, but it only drove Adriana's anger towards them. The next few days were quieter, but the atmosphere in the Manor was very tense. Adriana was sulking and neither Draco, Severus nor Augustus knew what to do. So Narcissa invited the Notts over for Christmas eve. Mr Nott was a good friend and she thought Theodore might be able to make Adriana feel better. It almost worked. For a few hours, they had dinner and enjoyed themselves. Theodore even managed to make Adriana laugh.

                The arrival of a furious Voldemort later in the evening put a stop to the festivities. In his fury, Voldemort cast a killing curse on the first person who asked what was wrong, which happened to be Mr Nott. Then, while Theodore looked in shock at his father's lifeless body, the Dark Lord went on telling why he was so furious, quite loudly and angrily. Apparently, Harry had been to Godric's Hollow and fell into Nagini's trap, like expected, but Hermione had managed to get them out just as Voldemort got there. Adriana wondered how his snake could have communicated with him from a distance, but the Dark Lord did have an unusually close relationship with his pet, even for a parseltongue.

                "You expected two wizards to be unable to face a snake? Really? No wonder you have problems winning this war."

                "You dare criticise the Dark Lord's plans? You dare suggest I might lose this war despite having taken control of the Ministry, the Daily Prophet and Hogwarts?"

                "Well, why not? You had my girlfriend kidnapped."

                "And who might that girlfriend be? I am not exactly keeping track of every single thing my Death Eaters do for me."

                "Luna Lovegood, her father owns The Quibbler."

                "Ah yes. It seems to me Mr Lovegood ignored several warnings, something had to be done. Why is this so important that you would have to tell me now? I have more urgent matters to deal with, like the fact the Potter boy escaped me, again."

                "She's my girlfriend!"

                "Can't you get another one?"

                "I love this one. And you sent her to Azkaban, to feel despair around the dementors to get her dad to obey, but it punishes her and me too, and we had nothing to do with it."

                "If there is one thing I understand about love, is that hurting people's loved ones is a very efficient way to get things done. And I don't know who told you the girl was in Azkaban, but I do not keep my prisoners there, it would be way too inconvenient if we ever needed them."

                "But my dad said..."

                "Severus, you lied to your daughter? Why? Did you not want her to see her girlfriend?"

                "Dad?"

                Severus was clearly uncomfortable getting caught in a lie, especially by Voldemort, but his tone was calm as ever.

                "I wanted to spare you some pain. I thought it better if you believed Luna was far away in a place you couldn't possibly visit, instead of knowing the truth that she's here in the secret cellar under the drawing room."

                "What? You're telling me I've been here for almost a week and my girlfriend was right downstairs all this time?"

                "I understand I'm not your favourite person at the moment, but I'm telling you it couldn't have been otherwise. And maybe you should wait until our guest leaves before getting angry and yelling at me again."

                "Oh no, Severus. That is not a problem. I quite appreciate your daughter's temper. As you might have noticed, I tend to get in quite a rage myself when things don't go my way. I think Adriana will make a great dark wizard one day, hopefully one that'll work alongside me."

                Hearing those words was like a cold shower to Adriana. She couldn't believe what Voldemort saw in her, it scared her even. She stared into nothingness for a moment then turned around and she and Draco each took one of Theodore's arms. He didn't try to resist. He looked at his father's body one last time and followed his friends upstairs.

                The three teenagers fell asleep in the same bed, after Adriana and Draco spent a while comforting Theodore. Narcissa woke them up for breakfast. They went downstairs in their pyjamas and were surprised to see Voldemort sitting at the table, having breakfast like everyone else. Turned out he did sleep occasionally and stayed in the Manor that night. There was something incredibly strange about asking the Dark Lord to pass the milk.

                "Adriana, if you want, Augustus can bring you downstairs to see Luna after breakfast. And then we can unwrap presents."

                No one was better than Narcissa at pretending all of this was normal. As if Voldemort himself wasn't sitting there, or that he hadn't killed someone right in front of them last night, or that the son of the victim wasn't having breakfast at the same table. They all ate together, like any family on Christmas morning. Then, Voldemort said he had something important to do and left. Lucius, Narcissa, Severus, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Draco and Theodore moved to the living room where a beautiful tree stood in a corner, with gifts filling the space under it. Augustus accompanied Adriana downstairs to the cellar. She took the lamp he was holding and entered the dark room. Luna practically jumped into her arms and her girlfriend started crying as she wrapped her arms around her.

                "I'm fine, Adri. They didn't hurt me, they just brought me here, I promise. And Mr Ollivander has been great company."

                Adriana looked up for a second to see the old man standing behind Luna. She should've guessed he would be here as well.

                "It's been horrible, Luna." Adriana told her girlfriend everything that had happened since Luna left Hogwarts. "Voldemort's the one who told me you've actually been down here all week while I stayed upstairs wondering how you were doing."

                "I can't believe your dad lied and You-Know-You was the one to tell you the truth. But how's Theo doing?"

                "He seems fine, but we think he's still kind of in shock. His dad just died, they weren't close, but it's still a big deal. And how are you? Here, I thought you might be hungry so I brought leftovers from breakfast. They always make too much, I think there's actually enough here for both of you."

                "Thanks."

                "I really hate this, you know? You being in here, and me up there. It's not fair, you didn't do anything wrong. It hurts me seeing you on the persecuted side of this war while I get to spend my vacation in a luxurious manor."

                "I chose to be on this side and I knew the risks. I don't blame you and Draco for being on the other one, at least in appearances, I know you didn't get a choice like me and the others did. It doesn't seem that much easier for you, look what happened to Theo."

                "I love you, you know that, right?"

                "Of course, I love you too."

                They shared a kiss and Adriana sat on the floor, her arms wrapped around Luna while her and Ollivander ate, Augustus leaning against the wall. Adriana wished they could come upstairs or she could stay with them, but all she could do was promise to come back later. With her girlfriend being a prisoner and Theodore's father being dead, it was hard for them to get in the Christmas spirit as they unwrapped their gifts. Severus went back to Hogwarts early in the afternoon as he had to make act of presence at Christmas dinner. His patronus showed up the next day to say he couldn't make it back. His message was pretty vague, but Adriana understood Severus had found Harry Potter and now had to get the sword to him before he changed location again.

                Two days later, two Death Eaters came by. They complained that Xenophilius Lovegood had tried to kill them with an explosion in his house and swore they saw Harry and Hermione. As soon as they assured they left him unharmed because he'd told the truth about Potter being there, Adriana ran downstairs with Augustus to tell Luna everything. She wasn't allowed to go alone. Luna was relieved to hear her father was alright, but wondered why Harry would visit him and how badly the house could've been broken by the explosion. Theodore and Draco, who could both apparate now, accepted to take a trip there with Adriana so they could see for themselves and report back to Luna. They found a pretty confused Xenophilius, but otherwise things weren't that bad. Adriana comforted him as best she could without revealing she'd seen his daughter.

                The remaining of Christmas break went smoothly. Adriana visited Luna everyday and, after a good long cry, Theodore had finally grasped the reality of his father’s death and was starting to grieve. Augustus had convinced Adriana to forgive Severus for having lied about where Luna was being kept. It seemed like things were almost back to normal. Narcissa and Augustus brought the three teenagers to King’s Cross the Sunday before the new term started. Draco, Theodore and Adriana spent most of the ride telling Neville and Ginny all about their encounter with Voldemort on Christmas Eve.

                By some strange phenomenon, Dark Arts classes given to sixth and seventh year Slytherins and Gryffindors became Defense Against the Dark Arts again. It was a big subject of discussion the first week back. Theodore, Neville and Ginny were talking about their theories when they noticed Draco and Adriana who hadn’t said a word about it yet, but looked like they were trying hard to stop themselves from smiling.

                “You two know something, don’t you?” Ginny suspected.

                “What makes you think that? We are completely innocent.”

                “You’re not fooling anyone, Adri.”

                “Yeah, we are way too proud to keep it a secret.”

                “What have you done?”

                “We submitted Amycus Carrow to the Imperius Curse.” Draco casually admitted. “I don’t know why no one in the D.A. thought of that, it was incredibly easy.”

                “The D.A. doesn’t use Unforgivable Curses, it’s not how we do things. We have a higher moral standard. We don’t want to beat dark wizards by becoming like them.” Neville disapproved.

                “Well, Draco and I accepted that everyone has a dark side. We decided to embrace it and use it to our advantage. And it’s not like we’re killing anyone, we’re just making sure we’re getting the education we need.”

                “What the D.A.’s been doing is clearly not working, Adri and I thought we’d try something else. Fight them with their own tricks, that I learned from the inside.”

                Theodore was looking at them with so much sadness in his eyes, but Adriana couldn't find words to make him understand this.

                "This war broke you both and it's heartbreaking to watch. Even more than seeing my dad get killed by his own master, because this at least was his own fault for siding with that man. But you two are just victims in all this. You never asked to be dragged in the middle of it. Adri, you even told Severus you wanted nothing to do with it at some point. And Draco, you were full of fire and you were so driven about everything. Now, you're both so different. It's like the lights inside of you are dying off and I can't just sit there and watch."

                Tears were rolling down Theodore's cheeks now.

                "You think you're taking part in this fight, but to me it looks like you're giving up. You're becoming like the enemy we're trying to vanquish and I won't accept that. I know you will never be the same, but I will do whatever it takes to save what's left of the people you were before all this."

                The weeks went by with Theodore joining Neville and Ginny in resuming their activities with the D.A. He was determined to not only fill the void left by Luna's absence, but also to rekindle the efforts. He thought it could encourage Draco and Adriana to stop with their more drastic methods, but they only expanded the amount of Defence Against the Dark Arts classes Amycus was giving to more than their owns. Students still jinxed Adriana, but instead of the usual protective spells Theodore and her used against them, Draco now answered with the Cruciatus Curse. Word went around and no one dared even look at Adriana when she was around him.

                In February, Adriana and Ginny started their Apparating lessons. The course was given by an instructor from the Ministry with the help of all four Heads of Houses and lasted twelve weeks. By that time, Adriana's seventeenth birthday would have passed and she would be allowed to take the test and get her permit. She felt bad about Luna missing all this, but there was still time, hopefully she would be freed and get to learn and take the test with Ginny in August. Adriana was still trying to get used to taking classes without Luna being in any of them, at least these lessons didn't have her empty seat next to her. Towards the end of the month, Adriana and Draco won their Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. It did help that morale was down at Hogwarts, with Slytherin house being the least affected.

                The third time Adriana was attacked severely occurred in March. A group of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws got to her after Transfiguration one day. They had planned this. They wouldn't have tried anything around Draco, so they had to know he would be upstairs in Charms with Theodore. They left her in an empty classroom, paralyzed by a Body-Bind Curse. She simply lay there, unable to do anything about the blood she could feel slowly exiting the wounds caused by snakes the other students had conjured to attack her. They thought it was funny and ironic to hurt a Slytherin with the symbol of her house. When she heard someone enter the room, Adriana feared more pain was coming to her. She had never felt so vulnerable before.

                "Finite Incantatem." Hannah Abbot was standing over her. Adriana knew her from the D.A., but Hannah had missed most of the previous year due to her mother's death and now attended sixth year classes. "Here, I think your wand must've fell off of your robes, I found it on the floor next to you."

                "Thanks, Hannah. How did you find me?"

                "I was leaving Transfiguration late, because I had a question for professor McGonagall and I saw those kids leaving this room. I thought it was odd, so I came to see what was going on."

                "Good thing you did, I could've been stuck here for a long time."

                Hannah helped her up, but didn't let go of her.

                "Come with me, you won’t be able to reach all your wounds to heal them yourself."

                Adriana expected her to lead her up to the hospital wing, but instead they headed down the staircase to the kitchen. They stopped in front of a pile of barrels and Adriana looked away so she wouldn't know which ones Hannah tapped. They walked through a tunnel and emerged into a nice cosy room.

                "This is your common room?"

                "Yes. What do you think?"

                "I like it. Of course, Ravenclaw Tower has a better view, but this one feels more welcoming."

                "Ravenclaw tower? Aren't you a Slytherin?"

                "My girlfriend's a Ravenclaw and all you need to do to get in is figure out a riddle."

                "How's the Slytherin common room?" Hannah asked as she helped Adriana settle on a couch.

                "It's not as sunny as this and the light is more green, because of the lake. We actually have a window letting us see underwater, merpeople come to visit sometimes."

                "Wow, sounds great."

                "But yours is more comfortable and so close to the kitchen."

                Hannah didn’t answer, as she was busy repeating spells to heal Adriana’s wounds.

                “What made those marks?”

                “Snakes.”

                “Oh, what I’m doing will take care of the wounds, but I’m not sure it’ll prevent venom from causing trouble.”

                “Don’t worry, I know a potion that’ll do that.”

                Adriana sent her patronus to Theodore, so he’d make sure they had all the necessary ingredients.

                “Wow, you can use your patronus to send messages?”

                “It comes in handy. I can’t use the coins from the D.A., because some members have attacked me.”

                “Really? But we were all good friends before.”

                “Well, apparently that went away when my dad killed Dumbledore.”

                “But you didn’t have anything to do with it, did you?”

                “Of course not. Some people don’t care about that though.”

                “They don’t even give you the benefit of the doubt? I mean, you were one of us, you even got caught by Umbridge while we were escaping.”

                “Not everyone in the group has the loyalty and kindness of a Hufflepuff. Anyway, I can teach you the patronus messaging thing if you want.”

                “Maybe once I get enough practice and manage to cast a good enough one.”

                “I’ve been told it’s a lot easier to do than casting one in front of a dementor. Never done that.”

                “Don’t we all hope we never have to?”

                "I guess we do."

                Hannah finished healing her wounds and Adriana joined Theodore in the currently empty potions classroom where he had already started brewing the antidote she needed against the snake venom. Afterwards, they visited the thestrals with Neville. Right before Easter break, Hagrid decided to host a little party in support of Harry to try and cheer up everybody. Adriana, Ginny, Neville and Theodore all expressed their disapproval at this idea and refused to go. It turned out they were right, people were sent from the Ministry to arrest Hagrid and he had to go into hiding.

                Once again, Adriana spent her holiday break at Malfoy Manor, though Augustus was away this time. She was sitting in the drawing room drinking tea with the Malfoys when Fenrir Greyback and a group of Snatchers came at the door, claiming to have captured Harry Potter. Narcissa led them into the room and Adriana could immediately recognise Ron, Hermione, Dean Thomas and a goblin who used to work at Gringotts. They all had much longer hair than they did the last time she saw them, the boys' reaching their shoulders. Harry's face was swollen and harder to identify, which is why the adults asked Draco and Adriana to confirm for them who he was.

                "I don't know, I haven't spent much time around him, we're not in the same year." Adriana said, though she knew without a doubt it was in fact Harry who was standing in front of her.

                "Well, Draco, you had this moment of weakness where you went out with him, didn't you? Is it really him?"

                Draco had gotten even paler than usual. Obviously, he recognised his ex boyfriend and seeing him was a pretty emotional moment for him, they hadn't had any contact since the night of Dumbledore's death. Lucius reminded him how important this was and what it could mean for their family if they delivered Harry to Voldemort, but Draco still hesitated. Adriana knew he struggled between his desire to do what was best for his family and what was the right thing to do. He was forced to admit that the two teenagers Greyback had found with the alleged Potter were in fact Hermione and Ron.

                Then, what Adriana feared happened. Bellatrix heard them and came to see what was going on. She immediately wanted to use her Dark Mark to call Voldemort, until she saw the sword of Gryffindor, which she thought was supposed to be in her vault at Gringotts. Adriana knew from Severus the one Bellatrix had was a fake, because Harry needed the real one. Bellatrix sent Ron, Harry, Dean and the goblin to be locked downstairs with Luna and Ollivander, and kept Hermione to ask her about the sword. Adriana had to help Draco bring the now unconscious Snatchers outside.

                When they got back, Bellatrix was torturing Hermione, she had started with a knife, Adriana could see blood on the teenager's arm, but had now moved on to the Cruciatus Curse. Hermione claimed the sword was a fake and Draco had to get the goblin back from downstairs. Not long after he got back, they heard a noise coming from where the prisoners were held, but this time, they had Adriana get Peter Pettigrew, who had been staying there.

                While they were waiting, the goblin lied and confirmed Hermione's story that the sword was a fake. Bellatrix was now reassured and she touched her Dark Mark to call Voldemort there. He was out of the country, so there was some time before he would get there, but Adriana didn't know how she could help Harry escape. She couldn't go downstairs, they wouldn't allow her to. As Bellatrix granted Greyback's wish to get Hermione so he could eat her or something, Ron irrupted into the room, followed by Harry. Adriana looked for Luna, but it seemed the other prisoners weren't with them.

                "Expelliarmus!" Ron exclaimed and Bellatrix's wand flew into Harry's hand.

                Harry stunned Lucius and Narcissa. Greyback and Draco started firing back. Adriana simply discreetly backed out of the way and started going toward the stairs across the room. It seemed like the perfect distraction to finally get Luna out of there, without the consequences she'd gotten if she'd tried that before. Bellatrix grabbed Hermione and put her knife to her throat, threatening her life to get the boys to put their wands down. Adriana was only halfway to the stairs when they complied. Draco was charged with the task of grabbing the wands from the floor.

                The chandelier fell from the ceiling. Bellatrix managed to jump out of the way, but Hermione and the goblin were still right under it. Pieces flew everywhere. Some cut Draco's face. Adriana ran to him to see how bad it was. Harry seized the moment to take the wands from him and use them to stop Greyback from hurting Hermione. While he was still close to her, Harry mentioned how Dobby had brought Luna and the other prisoners somewhere safe. Relieved,  Adriana took out her own wand, but simply used it to heal and clean Draco's face. She had turned 17 a few weeks earlier and was allowed to do magic outside school now. She didn't pay much attention to everything else still going on around them, but noticed Harry, Dobby and the goblin disapparate, shortly followed by Ron and Hermione.

                Voldemort got there only a few minutes later. He was furious to have been disturbed for no reason. He had specifically told them not to summon him unless they found Harry Potter, and the boy wasn't there. They were all punished for it. Miraculously, no one died this time, but Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse hurt more than anything Adriana had ever felt before. Fortunately, he didn't keep at it too long. He seemed to realize something important and started walking back and forth across the room, thinking. Narcissa made tea and they all sat back there, afraid of what might be going through Voldemort's head.

                He stopped at some point and requested the wands Greyback and the Snatchers had taken from Harry, Ron and Hermione. He said something about neither of those looking the same as Harry's actual wand. He didn't like that. Then, he used Priori Incantatem on them to see what were the last spells cast with them. He wanted to find out as much as possible about what the trio had been up to and why Harry would be carrying a wand that wasn't his. It turned out one of the other wands had broken Harry's and Voldemort was pleased to learn that. He decided that it didn't change anything, only made the entire situation better and assured the success of his next step, and he left. Adriana, Draco, Narcissa and Bellatrix shared looks, neither of them understanding what he meant by any of that.

                Easter break ended and Adriana and Draco went back to Hogwarts. After what happened at Malfoy Manor, the Death Eaters knew the Weasleys had lied and, instead of being really sick, Ron was out there, helping Harry. This meant they had to hide and Ginny couldn't come back to school. The only friend Adriana had left in her classes was Hannah Abbot, with whom she had kept hanging out after she helped her. She missed Luna more than ever, but was happy to know she was safe now.

                With Luna and Ginny gone, and the torture of Michael Corner, the ranks of the D.A. became weaker. Then, after a failed attack on Mrs Longbottom, Neville decided to hide in the Room of Requirement just in time to avoid capture by the Carrows. The news that Tonks had given birth to a baby boy, which Adriana learned through a letter from Remus, helped cheer up Adriana, Theodore and Neville. However, as days passed, more D.A. members had to hide with Neville. The atmosphere at Hogwarts had become worse than ever and it only seemed to motivate those who liked taking it out on Adriana and other Death Eater children.

                "Sectumsempra!"

                Adriana and Draco had no idea how the knowledge of this spell had gotten around school, but Theodore and them spent a lot of time using the Shield Charm against it. The last week of April, they were walking out of the Great Hall when someone who had mastered nonverbal spells used it against Draco. He had become a bigger target after word got around of what happened during Easter break. As Adriana crouched down to save her friend, she got hit too. Theodore protected himself in time, after he realized people were seizing the opportunity of their distraction to fire at them some more. With Hannah's help, he was able to bring Adriana and Draco back to the Slytherin common room and heal them both.

                "That's it, I'm bringing you to Nev."

                "No, Theo. I don't need to hide with your boyfriend. My dad's the headmaster, I should be able to keep going to class and Quidditch practice."

                "But you're not. Severus can't stop any of this from happening."

                "Hiding would only show people we're afraid." Draco said. "We can't do that."

                "This is ridiculous. Are you two really not going to get yourselves to safety because of your pride?" Hannah looked incredulous.

                "You wouldn't be this surprised at their stubbornness if you'd known them as long as I have." Theodore replied.

                "It's determination. We don't want to just give up in front of a challenge. It's a good thing." Adriana argued.

                "People are hurting you! It's okay to put yourself first and, not give up, but accept when the fight is over and it's time to retreat." Hannah advised.

                "How are you going to stop me from bringing you both up there to Nev anyway? You can't even walk right now, you're too weak." Theodore pointed out.

                "We can still do magic." Adriana reminded him.

                "Don't bother, Adri. Let him get through the trouble of getting us eight floors up only to realize a lot of people hiding in the Room of Requirement don't want anything to do with us."

                "Fine then. I'm getting Severus."

                "Don't, please. Theo!" Adriana tried, but Theodore was already gone.

                He came back a little while later, not with Severus, as he said he would, but alone.

                "I went to the Room of Requirement and convinced them to let Adriana stay with them because she used to be in the D.A. too. I couldn't make them accept Draco though."

                Now that Draco definitely wouldn't have to go hide with Neville and the others himself, he suddenly thought it was a good idea for Adriana to do so. Theodore and Hannah helped her walk up the stairs to the seventh floor, both because she needed it and to make sure no one would attack her again on the way. Everyone in the Room showed various marks and injuries, Neville himself walked with a limp. Adriana's Sectumsempra scars looked like barely anything at all next to everyone else, but the ones from Voldemort's anger during Easter could compete with several of the others.

                Living in the Room of Requirement wasn't as bad as Adriana had thought. There were hammocks for everybody to sleep in, plenty of cushions, a decent bathroom and banners for all four of the Hogwarts Houses, the Slytherin one appeared with Adriana's arrival. Aberforth brought them food everyday through a secret passage that had appeared the first time Neville had been hungry, as the Room couldn't provide food itself. Everyone enjoyed Aberforth and Adriana's story of how they'd met when she was only a little girl.

                During the day, they studied a little and played friendly Quidditch matches. Evenings felt like they were simply a big group of friends, hanging out while listening to music on the radio. They even danced sometimes, because it helped get out all the negative feelings and feel better. They followed Lee Jordan's radio show, Potterwatch, which provided news of what was going on outside of Hogwarts. They were all thrilled to hear the story of how Harry, Ron and Hermione broke into Gringotts and stole a dragon.

                "If you're right, and this is Fred again, why would there only be one of the twins contributing to the show?" Seamus asked one night.

                "The Weasleys are all hiding. They can't just be going out all the time to broadcast this. It's safer if only one goes." Neville explained.

                "But why always the same one?"

                "Gives him a chance to see his boyfriend." Adriana simply stated.

                "The twins are gay?"

                "Only Fred."

                After the broadcast was over, they kept talking until Ariana, Aberforth's sister who now only existed as a portrait hiding the secret passageway, came with the message that he needed Neville at the pub. Excitation spread across the room. Harry Potter had to be back. Neville took out his D.A. coin to send a message to those who weren't at Hogwarts and left for the Hog's Head. He came back a few minutes later, accompanied by Harry, Ron and Hermione.

                Everyone cheered. For them, the arrival of the trio meant they would finally rid Hogwarts of the Carrows. However, Harry said they only came to do one thing then leave, and wouldn't let anyone help them. Luna, Dean, Ginny, George, Fred, Lee and Cho Chang arrived in the middle of the argument. Adriana jumped in her girlfriend's arms, she couldn't believe they were truly reunited. Ron and Hermione managed to convince Harry to ask everyone for help. He told them they were looking for an object that might've belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw herself and Luna suggested the lost diadem. Cho went to show Harry what it looked like on their common room statue.

                Meanwhile, in the Room of Requirements, the members of the Order of the Phoenix and several more graduates of Hogwarts arrived through the passageway. Upon their return, Harry and Cho announced Voldemort was on his way and all four Heads of Houses had started putting things in place to keep him out of the castle as long as possible. Everyone agreed to meet in the Great Hall. Ginny argued with her parents about having to stay behind. She wanted to participate in the Battle, but they wouldn't let them, she wasn't 17 yet.

                "You know, Ginny, I'd rather stay safely in here than go out there, but I have no choice. Both my dads will be on the other side of this Battle, what if I run into them and have to fight them?" Adriana said. "I know it'll be hard to sit here and wonder how your family is doing, I'll be doing the same in the middle of Battle. What Severus did doesn't erase the fact he was a great dad and I'll fight worried he might get killed by one of us. But I promise you, Theodore will come by as much as he can to update you, alright?"

                "Fine." Ginny sat and looked at them all leave.

                Adriana and Luna walked downstairs holding hands. They hoped Severus wouldn't be forced to fight, or would have the sense to leave. There was simply no way he could play both sides without anyone knowing. It was too dangerous. People opposing Voldemort wouldn't hesitate to kill him after what he had done to Dumbledore. Once in the Great Hall, Adriana and Luna sat at the Slytherin table with Theodore and Draco.

                They were about to start evacuating the school when Voldemort's voice resonated across the room, warning them they could never defeat him and should simply give him Potter and be left unharmed. He gave them until midnight to comply. They had about half an hour to get ready for the Battle. After Pansy Parkinson suggested they surrendered Harry, the Slytherins were the first House to leave. Only Theodore and Adriana stayed, sitting alone at their table with Luna, after Draco had wished them luck for the Battle. The other Houses followed in the evacuation, though they left many students behind who were over 17 and wanted to fight.

                Everyone who stayed was organised in different teams positioned in different places. Theodore paired up with Madam Pomfrey to stay in the Great Hall and take care of the injured. Adriana and Luna took place near the Whomping Willow, to stop anyone who would try getting inside the school grounds through there. It soon was a mess out there. People fired spells all over and you had to constantly be careful not to be walked on by Grawp, Hagrid's giant brother, who wasn't exactly looking where he was putting his feet.

                For the moment, they were managing to at least keep the Death Eaters from getting inside the castle, but who knew how long it would last. Giants were arriving. Adult giants, much bigger than Grawp. And when acromantulas started coming out of the forest, a lot of people retreated to the Entrance Hall. Adriana and Luna got separated in the crowd as they passed the doors. Before she could even think of looking for her girlfriend, Adriana was pulled away from the fight to an empty hallway near potions class.

                "Adriana, I'm so glad to see you're fine."

                Augustus hugged her.

                "Father, you're still alive! Where's dad?"

                Their relationship had gotten much better with all the time spent together at Malfoy Manor, they were a real family now. A family where the parents weren't a couple, but a family nevertheless.

                "He's around here somewhere, he was looking for you. He wanted to see you and he said something about needing you to get a message to Potter for him. I don't know, I must've heard wrong with all the noise."

                Augustus was still convinced Severus was on Voldemort's side, but Adriana knew whatever the message was, it had to be coming from Dumbledore. And Harry would never let Severus tell him anything. She had to find him as soon as possible. Adriana gave Augustus another hug, saying she had to go back out there, and stunned him. She couldn't possibly let him go back to the Battle, he could hurt her friends or get killed. She loved him, but he was on the wrong side. She brought him inside the Slytherin common room, hoped he would stay there once he woke up and left.

                The Battle was spreading across different floors of the castle and Adriana had no idea where Severus might be. She ran to his office, but it was empty, even the former Headmasters had vacated the room. She started going through hallway after hallway, fighting Death Eaters as she encountered them, hoping she'd run into either Severus or Luna soon. It wouldn't hurt to learn how Neville, Theodore and Ginny were doing either. She found Draco on the ground on top of the stairs that led to the Entrance Hall.

                "What are you doing here? I thought you left." She asked him.

                "I came back. I hid and followed Harry. I thought if I could stop his plans, maybe the Dark Lord would forgive my family. This Battle is hopeless, you'll never win against _him_."

                "At least we're trying. What happened to you anyway? There's blood all over your face."

                "Ron hit me. After they saved my life for the second time tonight."

                "I guess the first time would explain these burns you have all over."

                "Crabbe conjured Fiendfyre."

                "What? Where? And how isn't the entire school burning?"

                "I think the Room of Requirement contained it. Harry, Ron and Hermione barely managed to get Goyle and I out in time. Crabbe didn't make it."

                "I'm sorry. I know he's been your friend since you were kids."

                "Yeah." A sudden glass noise made them turn to see the Slytherin house point hourglass shatter. "Where's Luna? I thought you two would be together. And Theodore?"

                "Theodore stayed in the Great Hall to help Madam Pomfrey with the injured, he might still be there. Luna and I got separated in the chaos that followed the irruption of those giant spiders from the forest." Adriana said as the acromantulas managed to push open the front doors and make their way in.

                She and Draco stunned as many of them as they could. They were far and it was the safest spell in case they accidentally hit one of their own. As they made their way downstairs, Adriana could see outside where Grawp was fighting another giant. She also saw three silver animals, including a hare.

                "Luna's over there, probably fighting dementors, hurry."

                Adriana took Draco's hand and started running toward the doors. They almost knocked right into Luna as she was fleeing a giant's foot with Ernie and Seamus. Both boys disappeared into the Battle.

                "Adri! I'm so happy to have found you. And Draco, you came back!"

                As an answer, Adriana simply took Luna into her arms and kissed her.

                "Um, girls, not to bother you, but there's some kind of a war raging around you, might want to do that elsewhere."

                "Right, sorry." Adriana unlocked her lips from Luna's, but kept their hands entwined. "Talking of which, has anyone seen Voldemort anywhere?"

                "I've mostly stayed outside, maybe he went in looking for Harry?"

                "Draco and I were there, I moved around a lot, I don't think his presence could've been missed."

                "Do you think he's avoiding the battle because of the problems he had with his wand against Harry?"

                "No, dad told me he stole the invincible wand from Dumbledore's grave."

                "The Elder Wand?"

                "That one. He should be unbeatable now, there's no reason for him to avoid a fight with Harry."

                "Unless it's not working to its full potential."

                "How could that be?" Draco wondered.

                "While I was trapped with Ollivander, he explained that wands are loyal to their owner. They won't be as effective with someone else. Unless their owner was beaten in a duel or something and the wand changed allegiance. If You-Know-Who simply took the wand from Dumbledore's grave, it might not obey him perfectly."

                "Luna, you're a genius! And we have to hide Draco."

                "Why? What's wrong?" He asked.

                "Isn't it you who disarmed Dumbledore at the top of the tower? The last time he had his wand before he died?"

                "Yes, but..."

                "Adri's right. You're the true owner of that wand now. If You-Know-Who realises that, he'll come for you and probably won't just disarm you, he'll kill you."

                Adriana, Luna and Draco were still near the doors, sending stunning spells to Death Eaters around them as they talked. They started moving, trying to get farther inside the castle, but the Entrance Hall was crowded with people from both sides fighting and they couldn't get very far. They stopped almost in the middle of the room, and simply join the fight more actively, standing back to back to each other so no one could get them from behind. When Voldemort's voice echoed across the castle, everyone froze and once he was done asking Harry to join him in the forest in the next hour, all the Death Eaters left like the Dark Lord had ordered them to.

                "Let's find Theo, see if we can help." Luna suggested and they all walked inside the Great Hall. "I guess that's where everyone will regroup."

                "Yeah. Except my parents. I saw Augustus earlier, but I still have no idea where my dad is."

                Luna took Adriana's hand and held it tightly. Theodore saw them from the other side of the room, ran to them and hugged them all.

                "You're all alive, I've been so worried."

                "Is that Fred?"

                Adriana said, seeing a tall man with ginger hair dead on the ground, the Weasleys assembled around him. Tears filled her eyes and she joined George, kneeling at his twin's side. He put an arm around her, the girl they'd become friends with their very first year at Hogwarts, one of their longest friendship. Lee Jordan was crying on Fred's chest and Adriana couldn't even bear to think what it would feel like if she lost Luna like he had lost his boyfriend. As she looked around and saw Remus and Tonks' bodies, Harry pulled on Adriana's arm to get her up.

                "What?" She asked, rubbing her eyes with her sleeves.

                "I have something to show you, come with me."

                "Now?"

                "I can't stand being here, come."

                Adriana followed Harry up the stairs and all the way to her father's office. She hesitated to say the password, wondering what he could possibly need to show her up there. Every painting inside was still empty, whatever Severus needed to tell Harry, Dumbledore wasn't here to do it either. Harry ran to the pensieve and emptied a flask of thoughts into it.

                "Whose thoughts are these?"

                "Let's just go in, alright?"

                As they entered the memories, Adriana knew immediately who they belonged to. But why would Severus give him some of his memories? Would they help explain what he had to tell him? And how did he manage to give them to Harry without the boy trying to avenge Dumbledore's death?

                "How did you get those?"

                "Let's just watch this, I have a feeling it's important. I'll explain after."

                Adriana was suddenly very nervous, she had a bad feeling about this. They watched as a young Severus explained all about magic to Lily, Harry's mother, a muggle child who didn't know anything about the strange things she could do. Adriana and Harry exchanged a look. Her father was a friend of his mother when they started Hogwarts, who would've known? They saw them being sorted, Draco's father sitting at the Slytherin table wearing a prefect badge. Adriana thought she saw a boy that looked like Augustus sitting there as well, but she couldn't tell which year he was in.

                Adriana already knew everything Harry and her saw, but witnessing it was a completely different thing, she was glad she got to see a young version of her father with her own eyes. They watched as Severus and Lily fought, not long after James had saved the former from the werewolf, as Severus got bullied by James and Sirius, as he used the word mudblood against Lily, as she decided to end their friendship because they'd clearly chosen different paths and she'd ignored it too long.

                They saw Severus plead Dumbledore to protect Lily from Voldemort, they saw his devastation after the Potters died. You could see a baby Adriana in the background, moving her tiny arms as though trying to crawl, but not quite achieving it yet. Severus looked at her before accepting to protect Lily's son, to the condition no one would ever know. Harry turned to the teenage Adriana and she nodded to answer his silent question, she had known all along.

                "Is it me or was there something in Snape's tone when he mentioned Karkaroff helping the Ministry?"

                "Karkaroff is the one who got Augustus sent to Azkaban, you know, my second father?"

                "Oh, right."

                Then came the memory of Severus helping Dumbledore with his blackened hand and the both of them discussing Voldemort's plan of Draco killing Dumbledore.

                "Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him? Because he was dying anyway?"

                "Yeah, it was all part of his big plan. Which he didn't reveal in its entirety to dad or me."

                "You knew?"

                "Luna too. I accidentally mentioned it during a fight with my dad that she witnessed."

                "Why didn't you say anything?"

                "Would you have believed me?"

                "No, you're right."

                They were shocked to learn that a fragment of Voldemort's soul was living inside Harry himself and it meant the boy had to let the Dark Lord kill him. Severus let his doe patronus appear to show Dumbledore he still loved Lily and couldn't believe he protected her son all these years for nothing. They saw the moment Phineas Nigellus finally had the location of the trio for Severus to get the sword of Gryffindor to them and it was over. They emerged from the pensieve into the still silent Headmaster's office.

                "Now tell me, how did you get these memories? And why are you sharing this with me, I knew about most of this already."

                "Adriana, I'm so sorry."

                "What? Sorry about what?"

                Tears filled her eyes. Somewhere inside, she knew what the answer to that was, but she couldn't believe it.

                "Snape, he... Your dad, Voldemort killed him."

                "No, that's not possible. Why would he do that?"

                "Dumbledore's wand was a really powerful one."

                "The Elder Wand, I know. But what does this have to do with my dad?"

                "He killed Dumbledore, he's the true master of the wand. Voldemort killed him so the wand would obey him better."

                "What? But Dumbledore didn't even have his wand on him, Draco disarmed him first." Adriana started sobbing. "I wanted to protect Draco from this, and my dad was killed in his place, for nothing."

                "I'm so sorry."

                Adriana fell to the ground. She was devastated. How could she possibly keep going when Severus was dead?

                "Adriana, did you say Draco was the true master of the Elder Wand? His wand changed allegiance, it's mine now."

                "Good for you, you control the Elder Wand. Doesn't change anything. Dumbledore said Voldemort couldn't die until he killed you anyway."

                Harry tried to put his hand on her shoulder. It was a pretty clumsy attempt, like he wasn't comfortable with the situation. Adriana didn't care, she pushed his hand away and yelled at him to go away. Harry froze for a few minutes and left. Adriana simply stayed there, lying on the ground, sobbing like she never did before. She couldn't feel time go by, it wasn't important anymore. Severus Snape, her dad, the person she loved more than anything, the one who knew most of her secrets, the one who had always been there, was gone. He could never take her in his arms again. She screamed for a while, just to let the pain out.

                She heard, as if from a distance, Voldemort's voice, again amplified to reach every corner of the castle. Harry was dead. He had accomplished the task Dumbledore had given him. At least, Severus had accomplished his mission. He'd protected Harry up to here and given him that last piece of information he needed. But why wasn't Voldemort also dead?

                Adriana couldn't find the strength to get up off the floor until she heard the sounds of battle come back. People were fighting, maybe it wasn't over, maybe there was still hope. And if there were, Severus would want her to help make sure Voldemort would really be vanquished this time. She had to go back down there and fight, so her father wouldn't have risked his life, and given it, in vain. She had to finish what he started.

                She reached the Great Hall just as Molly Weasley put an end to Bellatrix's life. As Harry revealed himself, alive, and mentioned there were no more Horcruxes, Adriana finally understood. She knew what they were, but couldn't have guessed Voldemort had created any. It made so much sense. Horcruxes explained how he'd managed to stay alive all these years, it explained the diary that possessed Ginny into opening the Chamber of Secrets, the connection allowing Harry to have dreams about Voldemort, even the strangely close bond the Dark Lord had with Nagini, the now dead snake.

                When Harry told Voldemort, and everyone else present, how Severus had been on Dumbledore's side, because of his love for Lily Potter, whispers went around the room and eyes turned toward Adriana, still standing in the doorway. They were realizing how wrong they'd been about him and how they'd treated her unfairly because of it. She looked back at them, because they deserved to feel bad about all this. Severus had died still playing both sides, despite the fact no one other than her knew it.

                Everyone turned their attention back on Harry and Voldemort as their conversation was reaching its end. Harry revealed what he knew about the Elder Wand and who was its true master. Harry and Voldemort finally stroke. Harry with a Disarming Charm and Voldemort with the Killing Curse. The latter rebounded on the Dark Lord and he died, for good this time. The room erupted in cheers. Everyone ran to hug Harry and, once she found Luna, so did Adriana.

                The sun was rising and it seemed incredibly appropriate as they marked the end of years of darkness. After she watched Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister for Magic, take away Augustus and the other Death Eaters with the help of more Aurors, Adriana joined Minerva.

                "So, it's finally over."

                "You don't have to pretend you feel happy, Adriana. It's normal to be sad. A lot of lives were lost tonight. I'm sorry about Severus."

                "What will happen to me? My dad's gone and Augustus, who I just finally got to know, is going back to Azkaban."

                "Don't worry about it just yet. For now, just take this time to grieve for Severus, Fred, Remus, Tonks and everyone else who died for this victory."

                Adriana looked around at the Great Hall. People were reuniting with their family, crying their dead loved ones, eating a well-deserved breakfast at one of the House tables Minerva had put back. Draco was sitting with his parents, Theodore and Neville were eating, hand in hand, surrounded by the latter's admirers for having stood up to Voldemort and killed Nagini. Ginny and George were with their family. Harry was leaving the room with Ron and Hermione. Luna put her arms around Adriana when she sat next to her and comforted her while she cried some more. Drained of energy and relieved to have survived all this, they both fell asleep right there on the bench.

 

 

 

Four months later

 

                The sunset had just begun and it gave a nice glow to the Headmistress' office. Adriana entered slowly. It felt strange being here alone, as though she shouldn't be, but Minerva was the one who told her to come. She'd walked down to the Slytherin table during dinner simply to give her the password and assure she herself would be spending her evening out in Hogsmeade. Adriana looked around at the sleeping portraits of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses. How could she feel so alone, yet so exposed? She approached Severus' portrait, the only one awake. He knew she'd be visiting.

                "Dad."

                "Adri, it’s so nice to see you again, finally. How was your first day back?"

                "Hogwarts feels so different. So many students saw the thestrals last night, some of them burst into tears at the sight. Theo and Draco are finished with school, so it's only Luna, Ginny, Hannah and me now, no other Slytherins. Oh, and Hermione I guess."

                "Minerva told me she saw you at the funerals this summer, she said you looked good and were staying at the Lovegoods. I'm glad you got to spend time with your girlfriend, if she's still your girlfriend."

                "She is. I spent a few weeks over there to help them rebuild their house, and catch Luna up with some school stuff she missed last year so she'd be ready for this one."

                "How is it going with the Malfoys?"

                "Pretty well. There's been some adapting time and we're all still trying to deal with the aftermath of the war, but mostly it's been good. We went to visit Narcissa's sister the other day, the one still alive. You know she's raising Teddy, Remus and Tonks' son? He's such a cute baby, his hair keeps changing colour."

                "I thought the sisters didn't talk because Andromeda married a muggleborn."

                "They didn't. They reconciled after the Battle of Hogwarts. Lucius and Narcissa still believe in preserving the pureblood line and all that, but with all the losses that occurred during the war, they thought they'd make an effort to have a relationship with more members of the family."

                "That's an improvement. And how do you like having a brother?"

                "Oh, Ginny was right, big brothers can be so annoying. I swear the Manor feels small sometimes. It's nice to always have someone around though. And Luna and Harry get along great, so we can all hang out together. We even went on a quadruple date with Theo and Neville, and Ron and Hermione in Diagon Alley last week.”

                "Sounds like you’re doing well. Minerva told me Harry became an Auror and Draco's reading and researching old manuscripts."

                "Yes, he's very interested in alchemy."

                "And what are your other newly graduated friends doing?"

               "Theodore just started his training to become Healer, it's pretty exciting. Neville worked as an Auror most of the summer to catch some of the remaining Death Eaters. He's professor Sprout's assistant now, helping out with classes and everything. Slughorn already asked if I'd be interested in a similar position next year."

                "Are you?"

                "Yes. Minerva agreed I could do it and even have my own office to experiment with potions in my free time. If I pass my NEWTs of course. Think about it, some day Neville and I will be Hogwarts professors. I'll have created new very useful potions and him and Luna will have written books about plants and magical creatures."

                "I'm sure all of that will come true. You are a brilliant person, Adri, and I'm very proud of you."

                "Oh dad, I miss you so much." Tears appeared at the corner of Adriana's eyes.

                “I know, I miss you too.”

                “It’s hard, you’ve always been there. And the last two years, I had Augustus too. You were both great fathers and I lost you both.”

                “I’m so sorry. You’d only gotten to know Augustus and he was taken away from you.”

                “And neither of you is really gone. I’ll never get to spend time with any of you like we did before, we can never share a hug again. But Augustus isn’t dead. He’s rotting in Azkaban and I just have to live knowing he’s there, miserable and I can never talk to him again.”

                “You’re trying to make me believe you’re not exchanging letters with him anymore?”

                “You know what I mean. Sure, we communicate, but I’d prefer if it were me seeing him, not Bezoar.”

                “You can still see to me.”

                “But we can’t brew potions together anymore, or really do anything other than having a conversation, because you’ll always just be a painting. Still there, but never really here either. George is going through hell trying to grieve Fred right now, but eventually he will and it'll be over.”

                “You should take a year after your NEWTs and go away from here, far from me, where you won’t be able to come and see me.  I’m sure Minerva will let you come back to work with Slughorn later on. Travel with Luna, help her look for these crazy creatures she believes in. Experiment with plants and substances you’ll encounter, see what they can do in a potion. It’ll be good for both of you.”

                "Sounds like a great idea. But I'll miss you."

                "You should miss me, I died."

                Adriana couldn’t get past her father’s death. How could you grieve the loss of someone who would never be really gone? Severus Snape’s spirit would forever remain in his portrait in the Headmistress’ office at Hogwarts. Adriana would always have the possibility to talk to him. No matter how far she traveled with Luna, she could always come back home to Hogwarts and Severus would be there, waiting for her.


End file.
